Notre Dame football added another elite defensive end to its 2028 recruiting class on Monday when 5-star Bolingbrook (Ill.) High School pass rusher Darieon Prescott announced his commitment to the Fighting Irish on the Pat McAfee Show.

The commitment continues a remarkable stretch for head coach Marcus Freeman and new defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, who have transformed Notre Dame’s ability to recruit impact EDGE rushers at the highest level.

For a long time, finding elite pass rushers was a legitimate weakness for Notre Dame on the recruiting trail. That has changed in a dramatic way. Starting with the 2024 recruiting class, the Fighting Irish have landed a defensive end rated as a 5-star by at least one service in 4 of the last 5 cycles.

In 2024, it was Bryce Young. In 2026, Notre Dame secured Rodney Dunham, a top-10 overall player in the 247 Sports Composite ranking. The 2027 class brought Abraham Sesay out of Pennsylvania, and now Prescott joins the 2028 group. The program also signed Boubacar Traoré during the 2023 recruiting class, though he was considered under-recruited at the time, with some services holding a three-star grade on him.

With Notre Dame now flooded with 5-star pass rushers at various stages of development, it felt like a good opportunity to rank these players based on their projected impact and potential.

No. 1: Dareion Prescott (2028)

Prescott sits at the top of this list despite having two full high school seasons remaining ahead of him. That alone tells you how special this prospect is. He has ballooned from the 220 pounds listed on most recruiting platforms to approximately 6-foot-6, 255 pounds. If you’ve seen any recent videos, this kid is a physical freak with all the upside in the world. It is no hyperbole to say that Prescott looks like a future early-round draft selection. I’m excited to see what he is able to do under the tutelage of Partridge.

No. 2: Rodney Dunham (2026)

Dunham was considered a somewhat raw player coming out of high school due to some injuries later in his prep career, but the 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end has come to South Bend and made an immediate impact. He is expected to be a fixture in the rotation early on, which speaks to how athletically gifted he truly is. The ceiling is immense, and the upside is tremendous.

No. 3: Abraham Sesay (2027)

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound pass rusher is a little raw in terms of pure pass rush attack, but he is flexible, explosive, and long with tons of upside. If he hits his ceiling, Sesay has a chance to be a future high-round draft pick. There is a lot of intrigue surrounding his development over the next year.

No. 4: Bryce Young (2024)

This is no shot at Young, who was viewed as a pretty raw player coming out of high school. He spent most of his early prep career as a wide receiver before growing into the defensive end position, and his best football is still very much in front of him. With his father, Bryant Young, in his corner, there is a good chance that the younger Young begins to trend upward and his production starts to match his potential. At 6-foot-7, 260 pounds, he is a physical freak with all the tools to become a stellar player for the Fighting Irish.

What it all means for Notre Dame

The through line across all four of these prospects is the same: tremendous upside and elite physical traits. Freeman and Partridge have built a pipeline at defensive end (credit also to Al Washington) that Notre Dame simply did not have a few years ago.

Landing a 5-star edge rusher is difficult enough. Doing it in 4 of 5 recruiting classes is a statement about where the program stands nationally.

Partridge’s impact on the recruiting trail cannot be overstated. His ability to identify, recruit, and develop defensive linemen has been a massive addition for the Fighting Irish. If even two or three of these prospects reach their ceilings, Notre Dame will have one of the most talented defensive end rotations in college football for years to come.