Ranking biggest recruiting wins for Joe Rudolph following latest Notre Dame commitment from fast rising four-star offensive tackle
Head coach Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame football received a huge commitment on Wednesday from 2026 Glenside (Pa.) La Salle College offensive tackle Grayson McKeogh. The 6-7, 270-pound blindside protector opted for the Fighting Irish over Texas and Penn State. That was a direct result from their biggest recruiting weekend of the year. For a […]
Head coach Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame football received a huge commitment on Wednesday from 2026 Glenside (Pa.) La Salle College offensive tackle Grayson McKeogh. The 6-7, 270-pound blindside protector opted for the Fighting Irish over Texas and Penn State. That was a direct result from their biggest recruiting weekend of the year.
For a second, we need to really appreciate the job that offensive line coach Joe Rudolph has been doing on the recruiting trail. This is one of the most impressive recruiting jobs he has done, getting on McKeogh a little bit late. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the Pennsylvania native is the best player, but the job landing him was impressive while there were some hurdles.
Outside of McKeogh, Coach Rudolph has had some impressive wins since his first class in 2024. Here are some of the biggest wins he has had.
1. Guerby Lambert (2024 class)
People forget but Notre Dame was actually in a very good spot with Lambert while Coach Harry Hiestand was recruiting, but things got a little bit murky when Coach Rudolph took over. He almost had to start from scratch for the 6-7, 330-pound behemoth. Coach Rudolph did a tremendous job making up that group, and closing on the Northeastern standout. Lambert is coming off of an offseason injury, but his future does look very bring. The talent is certainly there, which is evident by his former five-star ranking.
2. Will Black (2025 class)
Black is an example of a tremendous evaluation by Coach Rudolph and the Fighting Irish staff. He camped in South Bend as a Canadian who was still very new to American football. Notre Dame quickly made him a huge priority in the 2025 recruiting class, even when he was considered to be a three-star player by most major recruiting platforms. Black ended the cycle as a five-star recruit, and arguably the top offensive tackle in the country.
3. Tyler Merrill (2026 class)
The Pennsylvania native had an elite offer list, and Notre Dame had to really work to gain a commitment from Merrill. At 6-5 and 338 pounds, Merrill is a massive presence with outstanding upside. Schools like Alabama, Michigan, and Penn State pursued him heavily, but the Fighting Irish won out in the end. Coach Rudolph made Merrill a priority very early on in the process. It’s a great offensive line class but Merrill has an argument as the best of that group.
4. Owen Strebig (2025 class)
At 6-8 and 290 pounds, the Wisconsin native was pursued heavily by a long list of impressive programs. They all valued Strebig’s outstanding size and massive upside. The Fighting Irish were the leader for a long time, but it was still a marathon of a recruitment. Strebig is one of the true offensive tackles that are on the Notre Dame roster for the next few seasons. He’s a bit raw compared to several others, but his upside is just as high as most. There is a lot of talent to work with.
Notre Dame football considered the front runner for underrated Midwest pass catcher with a commitment date now in the picture
Notre Dame in pole position for fast rising pass catcher
