Notre Dame commit is already trying really hard to make the team better before even stepping on the football field
Every year, we see Notre Dame recruits that become leaders of the class. It was quarterback CJ Carr in 2024, and defensive end Christopher Burgess in 2025. Every great recruiting class needs someone to lead their respective groups, and help to recruit. Obviously quarterback Noah Grubbs is in that conversation in the 2026 Fighting Irish […]
Every year, we see Notre Dame recruits that become leaders of the class. It was quarterback CJ Carr in 2024, and defensive end Christopher Burgess in 2025. Every great recruiting class needs someone to lead their respective groups, and help to recruit.
Obviously quarterback Noah Grubbs is in that conversation in the 2026 Fighting Irish class, but it appears that Mechanicsburg (Pa.) Cumberland Valley offensive lineman Tyler Merrill might be serving that role as well. Rated as the No. 83 overall player and No. 6 interior offensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite ranking, Merrill is an incredibly talented football player.
The 6-5, 325-pound behemoth took to Twitter on Monday, and is big game hunting for some key Notre Dame targets on the board. That includes Harrisburg (Pa.) High School star running back Messiah Mickens, who is currently committed to Penn State. With the news of running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider leaving the Nittany Lions for South Bend, Mickens has become a key target to know.
At 5-10 and 200 pounds, Mickens is a physical runner who is incredibly productive. During the 2024 season, he rushed for 1,214 yards and 21 touchdowns. Mickens is rated as a consensus four-star player and top 200 overall player in the 2026 class.
In the brief interaction between Mickens and Merrill, another key Notre Dame target joined the conversation. In a reply from Glenside (Pa.) La Salle College cornerback Joey O’Brien, Merrill decided to quote tweet and let him know where home should be. It’s in South Bend.
O’Brien is rated as the No. 50 overall player and No. 7 athlete in the 2026 class by 247Sports. Some see O’Brien as a safety, while Notre Dame values him at the cornerback position. At 6-4 and 190 pounds, he is a tremendous athlete that brings a lot of upside to the table.
Merrill was a tremendous get for the Irish, who are trying to have several huge victories in the state of Pennsylvania. If they are able to grab both Mickens and O’Brien, that is a statement in the Keystone State. Let’s hope Merrill’s message was heard loudly and clearly.
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