Notre Dame football is in a strange spot in terms of 2026 tight end recruiting, but the outcome will be decided over the next several weeks
The Notre Dame 2026 recruiting class is off to a faster start on offense compared to the defense. Quarterback Noah Grubbs has been in the fold for some time now, as has wide receiver Dylan Faison. The Fighting Irish also have three offensive line commits in Tyler Merrill, Ben Nichols, and Sullivan Garvin. We are […]
The Notre Dame 2026 recruiting class is off to a faster start on offense compared to the defense. Quarterback Noah Grubbs has been in the fold for some time now, as has wide receiver Dylan Faison. The Fighting Irish also have three offensive line commits in Tyler Merrill, Ben Nichols, and Sullivan Garvin. We are still waiting for the running back and tight end position to come into the fold.
For the latter, Notre Dame has a long history of developing outstanding tight ends. offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who also coaches the tight ends, has added extensively to the 2026 board over the last couple of months. One of the more interesting additions is Billings (Mt.) West star Matt Ludwig. The 6-4, 240-pound athlete has been pursued by some heavy hitters in college football, including Georgia, Michigan, Texas, Oregon, Tennessee, and Penn State among many others.
Despite that heavy interest from all over, Ludwig is set to make his first visit to South Bend. That is a multi-day trip that will be from April 22-24. That will be a huge opportunity for this Notre Dame staff to figure out their top targets, and realistic options.
The Fighting Irish will also be hosting Great Bend (Kan.) High School star Ian Premer and Omaha (Neb.) Millard South pass catcher Isaac Jensen this spring. Both Premer and Jensen are very different players, but bring unique upsides to the table. Each was also been offered this offseason.
Premer is considered a Top 50 overall player by multiple major recruiting platforms. The 6-5, 220-pound weapon has had a lot of recruiting attention, but Iowa State, Kansas, and Kansas State are viewed as the schools that have stood out most early on. This is a perfect chance for Notre Dame to get into that top group, and potentially win out in the end.
Jensen, in comparison, is viewed more as a developmental player. He is just about 205 pounds on his 6-6 frame, but is a very athletic kid. While he might be more developmental, Jensen does have a nice list of options right now. Schools value his skill set, Notre Dame included.
The Fighting Irish could be in the market for two tight ends in 2026 based on some injuries in the room. Who are the realistic options on the board? We will know a lot more near the middle of this offseason heading into official visit season.
Notre Dame and Gino Guidugli are already focused on 2027 QB recruiting, and there are some impressive signal callers visiting very soon
Notre Dame has eyes on impressive list of 2027 quarterbacks
