Marcus Freeman is doing something in South Bend that hasn't happened in decades. Seriously. If you’ve followed Notre Dame football for any length of time, you know the script: recruit well, stay in the top 15, but usually fall just a tier below the Georgia and Alabama juggernauts.
That script just got shredded.
As we sit here in early 2026, the Notre Dame football recruiting 2026 cycle has officially wrapped up its early signing period, and the results are frankly staggering. We aren't just talking about a "solid" class. We are looking at a consensus top-five haul—peaking as high as No. 2 nationally in the Rivals Industry Rankings—that features four five-star prospects. To put that in perspective, the Irish hadn't signed more than three five-stars in a single class since the internet era of tracking began in 2004.
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This isn't luck. It's a calculated, aggressive shift in how the Irish operate under Freeman and his staff. They aren't just "running their own race" anymore; they're winning it.
The Cornerstones of the 2026 Class
You can’t talk about this group without mentioning the secondary. For years, the "blue-chip ratio" at Notre Dame was dragged down by a lack of elite, game-breaking athletes in the defensive backfield. That changed with the signatures of Joey O’Brien and Khary Adams. O'Brien, a safety out of Pennsylvania, is a consensus five-star who brings the kind of range the Irish haven't had since Kyle Hamilton.
Then there’s the quarterback. Noah Grubbs has been the face of this class for a long time.
The Florida native committed way back in June 2024 and never looked back. While some recruiting services got "bored" with him and dropped his ranking during his senior year at Lake Mary High, the Irish staff didn't care. Grubbs finished his high school career with over 10,000 passing yards and 138 touchdowns. He’s a massive 6-foot-4 pocket passer with a high football IQ. Honestly, he’s the perfect bridge for when CJ Carr eventually moves on.
The Faison Factor
Maybe the most electric player in the entire class is Dylan Faison. If the name sounds familiar, it should. His brother, Jordan, went from a lacrosse walk-on to one of the most reliable receivers on the roster.
Dylan is... well, he’s different.
He is taller, twitchier, and arguably more explosive than his brother. He’s also the No. 1 lacrosse recruit in the country. He actually graduated early to enroll this spring so he could help the Irish lacrosse team defend their national title before even putting on a football helmet for fall camp. That kind of freakish athleticism is what Freeman has been hunting for.
Addressing the Trenches
One thing that separates this Notre Dame football recruiting 2026 group from previous years is how they handled the interior defensive line. It's been a thin spot for a while. Freeman admitted as much recently, noting that while they've recruited the edges well, they needed "big people who play hard."
- Francis Brewu: A massive portal addition from Pitt who brings All-ACC experience. He’s not a high school recruit, but because he has multiple years of eligibility, he's a huge part of the 2026 defensive puzzle.
- Rodney Dunham: A 6-foot-4, 227-pound edge rusher who is expected to balloon to 240+ pounds. He’s one of the four five-stars in the class and is a nightmare for tackles to mirror.
- Grayson McKeogh: A literal mountain of an offensive tackle. Rivals has him as a five-star and the No. 9 player in the entire country.
Why the Strategy Changed
For a long time, Notre Dame was hesitant to dive into the "second wave" of recruiting or the undergraduate transfer portal. That’s over.
Freeman and his general manager, Mike Martin, have been very intentional about working with the admissions office. They’ve managed to get deans on board to accept more transfer credits, allowing the Irish to take "undergrad" transfers who have three years of eligibility left. This allows them to build depth that doesn't just "plug a hole" for one season, but builds the roster for the next three.
They call it "running their own race." It basically means they aren't going to panic when a kid flips to an SEC school. They have a specific profile—high academic standing, high motor, "alpha" mentality—and they’re sticking to it.
A National Footprint
Looking at the map of this class is wild.
- 27 total commitments.
- 12 different states represented.
- 70% "blue-chip" ratio (four and five-star players).
The Irish aren't just a regional power; they are pulling the best players out of Florida, Texas, and California with more consistency than we saw during the Brian Kelly era.
What Most People Get Wrong About 2026
There’s a narrative that Notre Dame "backed into" this No. 2 ranking because of other teams losing players. That’s a bit of a stretch. While it's true that some big-name flips (like QB Jared Curtis moving from Georgia to Vanderbilt) helped the math, the Irish's floor was already incredibly high.
They didn't have a single decommitment in the 2026 cycle.
In the NIL era, that is almost unheard of. It speaks to the culture Freeman has built. These kids aren't just coming for a paycheck; they’re buying into the "4 for 40" pitch.
Actionable Insights for the Future
If you're a fan or a donor looking at where this program goes from here, keep an eye on these three things:
- Retention is the New Recruiting: The Irish focused heavily on keeping their own roster intact this winter. In 2026, the team you see in the spring is likely the team you'll see in the fall.
- The Secondary is the Strength: With O'Brien and Adams joining a room that already has young talent, Notre Dame's "No Fly Zone" is real.
- The Quarterback Room is Set: With Noah Grubbs signed and CJ Carr entering his prime, the days of "transfer-portal-panic" at QB are likely over for a few years.
The Notre Dame football recruiting 2026 class has officially set a new standard in South Bend. Now, the pressure shifts to the field. With this much talent on campus, the expectation isn't just a playoff appearance—it's a deep run in January.
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To stay ahead of the curve, you should track the spring practice reports for Dylan Faison. His transition from the lacrosse field to the football field in the same semester will be the ultimate litmus test for how this staff handles multi-sport superstars. Additionally, watch the development of Grayson McKeogh; if he can push for a rotational spot as a true freshman, it changes the entire ceiling of the offensive line.