Notre Dame’s recent success in the secondary has been outstanding, thanks in large part to Mike Mickens. Widely regarded as one of the top defensive backs coaches in the country, Mickens has excelled with both cornerbacks and safeties. Combined with strong recruiting from the Irish staff, that level of excellence seems poised to continue.
With a loaded 2026 defensive back class already secured, Notre Dame is turning its focus to 2027 prospects and one name already on the radar is Jailen Hill. The St. John Bosco (CA) safety recently spoke with Rivals’ Adam Gorney and had glowing remarks about Notre Dame and head coach Marcus Freeman.
“Coach Freeman is a great human being,” Hill said. “He’s been telling me about life after football, the education at Notre Dame, and how prestigious the school is. It would be great to go there.”
Right now, Notre Dame is competing mainly with USC and Texas A&M for Hill. USC, located in Hill’s home state, offers familiarity and proximity—factors that appeal to many California recruits. However, Hill admitted that Texas A&M currently leads his recruitment.
“Texas A&M is ahead right now of everybody,” Hill said plainly.
Still, with Hill being a 2027 recruit, there’s a long way to go. Early leaders don’t always finish first. Given Notre Dame’s track record and the persistence of coaches Freeman and Mickens, they’ll remain firmly in the mix.
Hill, who recently transferred to powerhouse St. John Bosco, is a consensus four-star prospect. He’s ranked No. 212 nationally and No. 25 at cornerback by 247Sports Composite. His offer list already features blue-blood programs like Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oregon, Michigan, and Florida, among many others.
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