Abraham Sesay had narrowed his choice to two blue-bloods, LSU and Penn State. Then a coach hire shifted the picture in South Bend, and the 5-star edge rusher’s weekend visit made the decision feel inevitable.

On June 16, ON3’s Hayes Fawcett reported that elite DE Abraham Sesay committed to Notre Dame. Notre Dame has already shown it can win big edge-rusher battles in this cycle, landing Rodney Dunham over South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Duke.

After pledging, the 6’6″, 235 lb EDGE said to On3, “Thank you to all of my loved ones. Nothing but the Lord’s will.” Notre Dame may not fit the usual Power 4 label, but in recruiting and tradition, it still stands in a different lane than most so-called non-P4 programs.

Notre Dame extended an offer to Sesay in November 2025, but the arrival of defensive line coach Charlie Partridge gave the Irish a real recruiting edge. Partridge brings a track record of developing difference-makers, and Notre Dame has already leaned into that reputation with its 2025–26 defensive-line momentum under Marcus Freeman. Despite that, programs like OSU and South Carolina were in the mix firmly, while LSU and Penn State stayed in the hunt.

However, Sesay’s official visit to Notre Dame for the weekend of June 12-14 matched Rivals RPM’s read that the Irish were the clear favorite; the model had Notre Dame at 88.2% to land him. And after that successful OV, the visit made Notre Dame feel like the right fit to be a collegiate destination.

“I felt like it was the place for me,” said Sesay to Blue & Gold. “Notre Dame will maximize my success on and off the field. Being a part of what they’re building and what they’ve already established will benefit me and my family. I’m very excited to get to work. Notre Dame has always been at the forefront of my recruitment. Hanging out with the players and being able to bond with them, it was amazing. I really felt like I fit in.”

Sesay is coming off a breakout junior season at Downingtown East, where he racked up 80 tackles and 13 sacks. That grabbed the attention of many programs that want to recruit this 5-star edge talent. However, he ditched all and even canceled his OV to FSU after confirming his pledge to Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame.

Sesay canceled his FSU visit, saying, “The word ‘commitment’ is a commitment. I gave them my word and told them I’d be committing to the University of Notre Dame, and I’m going to keep my word.”

Committing to the Fighting Irish was a special moment for the 5-star 2027 prospect.

Abraham Sesay’s clear feelings on Notre Dame’s commitment

Abraham Sesay became the 18th commitment for Notre Dame’s 2027 class. And after making this decision, Sesay will join an elite group of defensive players, which includes Aidan O’Neil, David Folorunsho, and Jackson Vaughn, among others. Getting a chance to play with them in the future was a special feeling for the 5-star edge rusher.

“It was definitely exciting,” said Sesay to Blue & Gold, as reported by On3. “I got to tell Coach [Marcus] Freeman myself, and he was fired up. He knew there was a good chance I’d go there, but I got to say it to him in person, and that was great. I let the whole staff know, and they all welcomed me with open arms.”

Notre Dame’s academic and player development impressed the 5-star talent. And that’s why the SEC’s huge NIL and other programs’ strong push were unable to attract Sesay.

“It felt great, being able to really be a part of the family,” added the 5-star edge rusher. “I got to think about myself as a student-athlete there when I was walking around campus and on the field. It was very surreal, and I’m beyond blessed.”

Abraham Sesay will enroll in 2027 and compete for immediate playing time.