Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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32 FEBRUARY 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY MIKE SINGER Raleigh (N.C.) Cardinal Gibbons cor- nerback Xavier Hasan committed to Notre Dame Dec. 15, continuing a hot streak for the Irish in the 2027 class. "Coach [Mike] Mickens and Coach Jcod [former Irish analyst/assistant de- fensive line coach Jevaughn Codlin] had a lot to do with it — the way they handle the players' life after football," Hasan told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "That's a big part. Coach Mickens has done a great job developing defensive backs like Sauce Gardner, Benjamin Morrison, Leonard Moore and Christian Gray. Those are the type of elite players I want to be. "The academic piece — they offer a great education. You have to go to class there, and I want to go to class. I want to interact with my teachers and all of that type of stuff. Those were the main things that made me want to commit to Notre Dame." Hasan — who is listed as the No. 1 player in North Carolina, and the No. 4 cornerback and No. 27 overall prospect in America by Rivals— is the highest- ranked commit among the Irish's eight verbals in the class. He's the third de- fensive back commit, along with safety Khalil Terry and cornerback Ace Alston — two other four-star recruits. The 5-11, 190-pounder picked the Irish over Ohio State, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida State, his other five finalists. It was two weeks to the day that Hasan first informed the staff of his decision to pick the Irish prior to announcing his decision. His first call was to Codlin, who was in his first year as an analyst for the Irish before being named the safeties coach at North Texas in late December. He then spoke with Mickens and head coach Marcus Freeman shortly thereafter. "They were all really fired up — screaming pretty much," Hasan re- called. "It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. This process has been stressful." Codlin getting the first call from the elite prospect shows just how important he was in Hasan's recruitment. The for- mer West Virginia staffer is a star in the making as a recruiter. "That's my guy," Hasan said. "He knows my trainer well. When he was at West Virginia, he was recruiting me to go there, and we've been talking since my freshman year. I know him really well." Freeman was, of course, another key coach in leading Hasan to pick the Irish. "He said it's a place where they're go- ing to take care of me," Hasan said regard- ing his call to commit to Freeman. "When I called him, he was getting a haircut, so that was pretty funny. He was excited and was telling me how special and different Notre Dame is. He said it's going to be hard, but in order to get the things you want in life, it's going to be hard." Terry committed to the Irish Nov. 12, and Alston's announcement came Dec. 9. It could appear that Hasan's commitment came as a response to that and a desire to lock in his spot, but Hasan pushed back on that idea. This was all in his own timing. "No, there was no urgency about it," he stated. "I didn't know Ace was committing. It was the right time for me. Notre Dame is special. It feels like home. The vibe is different than any other school." There's a year until National Signing Day for the 2027 class, and much can take place between now and then, but Hasan has no plans to take any other college trips. "I would check in with the Notre Dame coaches about that, but I probably won't go on any other visits," he said. The Irish offered Hasan as part of its Pot of Gold Day back in March. Hasan's first visit to campus was for the staff's Irish Invasion camp in early June, and he returned to South Bend for the Texas A&M game in September and the Navy contest two months later. Hasan didn't get many targets thrown his way as a junior, limiting his statistical production. He posted 17 tackles (1 for loss), 3 interceptions and 1 pass broken up. As a sophomore, he totaled 31 stops (1 for loss), 7 interceptions, 8 passes bro- ken up and 1 fumble recovery. He was named to the CAP-6 All-Conference first-team defense. In the spring, Hasan posted personal records of 10.9 in the 100 meters and 22.2 in the 200 meters. "I'm a hard worker; you're going to get 100 percent out of me all the time," Hasan said. "I'm caring — I like to help other people and give back. I love my family. I love to spend time with the people I love." ✦ COMMITMENT PROFILE XAVIER HASAN FILM ANALYSIS "Xavier Hasan is a smooth mover in cover- age. He shows high-end ball skills and is a playmaker in coverage. He can make a lot of plays, and this is another strong pickup in the secondary for Notre Dame. "They're doing a really good job recruiting at cornerback, and Hasan looks to be a big get for the Irish as they restock the cornerback room." — Rivals director of scouting and rankings Charles Power "Coach [Mike] Mickens has done a great job developing defensive backs like Sauce Gardner, Benjamin Morrison, Leonard Moore and Christian Gray. Those are the type of elite players I want to be." HASAN ON WHY HE PICKED NOTRE DAME Notre Dame Lands Commitment From No. 1 Recruit in North Carolina Hasan, Rivals' No. 4 cornerback and No. 27 over- all prospect nationally, chose the Fighting Irish over Ohio State, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida State. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS