Notre Dame Targeting Highly Regarded Indiana Commit
The football rivalry between Notre Dame Fighting Irish football and Indiana Hoosiers football hasn’t been frequent on the field, but the two programs are increasingly competing against each other on the recruiting trail.
Both schools have been central figures in the college football landscape over the last couple of seasons. Notre Dame reached the College Football Playoff National Championship two years ago and closed last season with a 10-game winning streak. Meanwhile, Indiana’s dramatic turnaround culminated in a perfect 16–0 season and a national title.
Despite their limited head-to-head history—having faced each other only twice since the dawn of the space age—the Hoosiers’ recent success has intensified recruiting battles between the programs. The latest example involves a top defensive back prospect who is currently committed to Indiana.
Notre Dame Offers Monsanna Tobert
Monsanna Tobert, a 5-foot-10, 158-pound cornerback from Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton High School), ranks among the top 200 overall players in the 2027 class according to 247Sports composite rankings.
Tobert revealed Tuesday that he had received a scholarship offer from Notre Dame. The defensive back already holds more than a dozen offers, including from Iowa Hawkeyes football, Kentucky Wildcats football, Maryland Terrapins football, Pittsburgh Panthers football, and Purdue Boilermakers football. Notably, Michigan Wolverines football also extended an offer just one day before the Irish followed suit.
Tobert has been committed to Indiana since January 10, just one day after the Hoosiers dominated Oregon Ducks football in the Peach Bowl to secure a berth in the national championship game.
Defensive Back Recruiting Emphasis
One notable aspect of Notre Dame’s recent recruiting activity is the surge in scholarship offers going out to cornerbacks and defensive backs. The increased focus follows the hiring of Aaron Henry as the program’s defensive backs coach, replacing Mike Mickens, who departed for the Baltimore Ravens.
The wave of offers suggests Henry is already shaping the direction of the secondary while also indicating that the Irish believe there’s still work to be done in the defensive backfield for the 2027 class.
Currently, three of Notre Dame’s seven commitments in the 2027 cycle—Xavier Hasan, Ace Alston, and Khalil Terry—play defensive back. For comparison, the Irish signed four defensive backs in their highly regarded 2026 recruiting class.
As for whether Notre Dame can flip Tobert from Indiana, much may depend on his upcoming visits. If the Cincinnati standout begins exploring other campuses and eventually visits South Bend, Indiana, the Irish could have a legitimate chance to change his commitment.
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