David Folorunsho grew up playing soccer in Nigeria.
Now he’s a centerpiece of Notre Dame football’s 2027 recruiting class.
It has been quite a journey for the St. Patrick junior.
“I’m blessed to be in this situation,” Folorunsho told the Sun-Time after announcing his commitment to Notre Dame on May 15 in a ceremony at St. Patrick. “I can’t put anything on me. I got to put it to Jesus Christ.”
A 6-3, 280-pound defensive lineman, Folorunsho is the consensus No. 2 player in Illinois in the 2027 cycle, the No. 3 defensive lineman nationally and the No. 43 player overall.
He moved from Nigeria to the United States when he was 11 and kept playing soccer for a few years. Then some friends invited him to football practice, and his athletic path was set.
He played offensive line before moving to the other side of the ball, a switch that suited him well.
What does he like about his current position?
“Just attacking, getting after the quarterback,” Folorunsho said. “I like to use my athleticism; that’s the main reason.”
Colleges have taken notice.
Folorunsho has more than 30 Power Four offers, including from Indiana, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan and Texas.
“David is a player with an unlimited upside,” national recruiting analyst Clint Cosgrove said. “He’s got a lot of physical talent. He’s still raw at this point, but as well as he’s still growing into his body, there’s a lot to like about him.
“He fires off the ball. . . . He’s a high, high motor kid.”
St. Patrick coach Tom Zbikowski, an All-America defensive back at Notre Dame before moving on to the NFL, said he didn’t steer Folorunsho to his alma mater.
“I kept it neutral,” Zbikowski told the Sun-Times. “I wanted him to do his own studying, take a real good look at all those programs. They’re all good programs — you’re not going to make a bad decision out of there.”
At the end of the process, though, Zbikowski said, “I think family . . . and him understanding that once football’s over that this is the best option for him and it can do the most for you, especially being from Chicago.
“It’s a different animal when you’re a Chicago kid that goes to Notre Dame.”
Academics were a major component of Folorunsho’s decision.
“I want to go for business marketing, and they have a great business school and great contacts to help me out with that,” he said.
Now Folorunsho can focus on his final season with the Shamrocks, who were 6-5 in Zbikowski’s first year.
“The main thing I’m going to emphasize is pad level and really shoot my hands, getting that knock-back [of] an O-lineman,” he said. “More pass-rush moves and just being more consistent with every rep.”
“He works every day in the morning, and he works every day after school,” Zbikowski said. “I think he loves the process of getting better every day.
“He loves football — really loves football. I know a lot of people play football, and they all want to be D1 until it’s time to be D1 and understand all that goes into it. I don’t think he’s going to shy away from that. In fact, I think that’s what’s going to bring the best out of him.