Notre Dame football and HC Marcus Freeman just did what no other College Football program could do in the 2026 recruiting class
Head coach Marcus Freeman continuing to do special things with Notre Dame football recruiting.
Notre Dame football has been recruiting on a historical level under head coach Marcus Freeman since he took over the program before the 2022 college football season. The great thing that Coach Freeman has shown over the years is his ability to evolve during the ever-changing landscape of NIL and the Transfer Portal. Despite all the constant change and potential hangups, the Fighting Irish continue to set new standards on the recruiting trail.
While we are now in a transactional world, the ability of the Notre Dame staff to develop deep relationships with this 2026 recruiting class has been something to marvel at on National Signing Day. This program typically recruits early, usually finishes up by the end of the summer, and just does its best to hold on to its commitments throughout the season. The 2026 group is no different.
In the 2026 recruiting class, Notre Dame accomplished something that no other major college football team did. They didn’t have a single decommitment in the class. That is quite the accomplishment. In an industry that glorifies “flip season”, the Fighting Irish have done better than any program in identifying the players they want, closing, and keeping them in the class until the finishing line. No program did it better than Notre Dame in 2026, a group that is ranked by Rivals as the No. 2 overall class in the country.
An elite Notre Dame recruiting class
Recruiting classes should ultimately be judged by two things – adding elite talent at the top and hitting all of your number needs. Notre Dame did both of those things in the 2026 recruiting class, the best group under Freeman so far in his tenure. There wasn’t a single group that fell short on their target number, while also adding more five-star caliber players than we have seen in a very long time.
On the offensive side of the football, they are led by offensive tackle Grayson McKeough, tight end Ian Premer, running back Javian Osborne, and wide receiver Kaydon Finley. Wide receiver has been a problem area for his team in recent years. Assistant coach Mike Brown took a great step toward silencing all of those doubters with a pristine group.
On defense, it was business as usual for Freeman and crew. Defensive line coach Al Washington really stepped up this cycle, adding the likes of Rodney Dunham, Ebenezer Ewetade, Elijah Golden, and Tiki Hola. That is the best four-man defensive line class the team has signed in some time. As good as that group is, the secondary class might be even better, led by five-stars Joey O’Brien and Khary Adams.
A lot of things have gone to a whole other level under Freeman. Recruiting is definitely one of them, and things continue to trend upward.
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