Notre Dame football has been recruiting at a very high level under head coach Marcus Freeman, but the 2026 recruiting class takes that recruiting impact to a whole other level. That class is not only the best under Freeman, but arguably the best since the Lou Holtz Era. On both sides of the football, it is littered with high-end talent and incredible depth. There really isn’t a hole in the class.

For the defense, it is yet another tremendous group under Freeman and his staff. To put it into context, I decided to do some superlatives for the class. That includes the recruit with the highest upside, the biggest wildcard of the group, the most likely player to contribute as a freshman, and a boom-or-bust prospect. What a talented group overall.

Notre Dame defensive class superlatives

Highest upside: EDGE Rodney Dunham – Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park

Notre Dame hasn’t gotten enough of the high upside pass rushers who could eventually develop into first-round selections. That is what Dunham brings to the table – unreal athleticism with all the upside in the world. Dunham will quickly be over 240 pounds, and he could push for legitimate playing time as a freshman. Some will include safety Joey O’Brien in this category, and that is totally fine! He also has incredible upside. Dunham playing such a high-value position put him over the top for me.

Biggest wildcard: CB Chaston Smith – Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic

With how good Khary Adams and Ayden Pouncey are, Smith has often gone under the radar. At 6-1 and 175 pounds, Smith is a long cornerback who excels in press-man coverage. He was hurt during the majority of his junior year, but he is back and balling out as a senior. With impressive ball skills and length, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Smith develop into a very good starter down the road. He is an impressive talent who has gotten pushed under the radar too much. It is scary to see just how deep the cornerback room is for Notre Dame.

Most likely to contribute in Year One: CB Khary Adams – Towson (Md.) Loyola Blakefield

With Leonard Moore back for one more season, you could conceivably have the same cornerback duo return once again in 2026. Christian Gray has been very up and down, but there is love for him on the NFL level. The odds are that he returns, but you never know. With Dallas Golden potentially sticking inside at the nickel, the depth at outside cornerback could be up for grabs. I would not be shocked at all if Adams earns some playing time as a freshman, although as a depth piece. Notre Dame is well-stocked at almost every position, so it won’t be easy for anyone to come in and earn a starting role.

Boom or bust: DT Elijah Golden – Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney

At 6-4 and 275 pounds, Golden has played all over the defensive line on the high school level. It appears the interior is in his future for Notre Dame, and if Golden develops physically and technically, he has a chance to be an absolute stud. Any time you are talking about a player who needs to gain around 30 plus pounds, however, it is anything but a foregone conclusion that it will work out. Will Golden be able to put on that much good weight? Will he maintain his athleticism when he does? I believe so, but only time will tell.

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