It didn’t take long for a former Notre Dame commit to find a new home, and this time with an improving Big Ten squad.
Notre Dame football received a decommitment this week from 2027 Tustin (Calif.) High School four-star safety Khalil Terry. Despite Terry seemingly reaffirming his commitment after secondary coach Mike Mickens left for the Baltimore Ravens this offseason, the California native began looking around. This is a situation that head coach Marcus Freeman and assistant Aaron Henry were privy to and did their best to hang on to Terry.
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Things didn’t work out in the end, giving Terry a third chance at the recruiting process after previously being committed to the Irish and Michigan State. Less than 24 hours after making his announcement, Terry is now committed to a new squad. The talented defender announced that he is now committed to the UCLA Bruins on Tuesday afternoon.
For UCLA and head coach Bob Chesney, this is a tremendous addition to their 2027 recruiting class. There was buzz that the Bruins were a team to watch for Terry once the news broke, and they proved to be just that. Keeping a talented player like Terry at home is a huge accomplishment for the UCLA program.
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When it comes to the Notre Dame side, they are going to be just fine. The Irish are in a strong standing with Florida standouts John Gay and Zayden Gamble. The team is also continuing to pursue California native Gavin Williams. There is a strong chance that this safety group ends up being outstanding, even without Terry.
Khalil Terry’s recruiting background
Terry is considered to be a four-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, the California native is currently pegged as the No. 256 overall player, the No. 25 safety, and the No. 21 player from the state of California for the 2027 recruiting class.
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The offer list is even more impressive for Terry, who has been pursued by some of the top programs in college football. His top offers currently include the Fighting Irish, Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, Oklahoma, LSU, Tennessee, Penn State, USC, Auburn, Nebraska, Missouri, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Arizona State, Michigan State, Texas Tech, UNC, Arkansas, Utah, Washington, Maryland, Arizona, Cal, Kansas, Oregon State, UCLA, and Syracuse, among others.
As a junior, Terry has been putting together an outstanding season for Tustin. In 11 games played, the 6-0, 185-pound defensive back has recorded 62 total tackles, four interceptions, and 16 pass breakups. Terry has also managed to collect four tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble.
