Notre Dame football “bumped up to top spot” for elite Top-10 pass rusher amongst a crowded group of blue blood contenders
Defensive line recruiting has been a mixed bag under Al Washington since he came to Notre Dame. There has been a lot of good, but a ton of underwhelming as well. The 2026 recruiting class is going to be huge for Coach Washington, with a huge chance to put together an elite group. One of […]
Defensive line recruiting has been a mixed bag under Al Washington since he came to Notre Dame. There has been a lot of good, but a ton of underwhelming as well. The 2026 recruiting class is going to be huge for Coach Washington, with a huge chance to put together an elite group.
One of the difference makers on the board to know is Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park pass rusher Rodney Dunham. The Fighting Irish staff has been high on Dunham for a long time, a dynamic defensive end talent and an incredible student. On Paper, Dunham is a tremendous Notre Dame fit.
Having already visited South Bend multiple times in the past, Dunham is not a stranger to the program, and it appears he is heading back again. Steve Wiltfong, the On3 vice president of recruiting, reported that Dunham will be heading back at the end of March. That was verified by his dad, commenting on the impact seeing Notre Dame in the championship game had on his son a few weeks ago.
“He wants to go there and of course he’s excited they just played in the National Championship game,” his father told Wiltfong.
After Dunham saw Notre Dame take on Ohio State, they made yet another jump up the board for the North Carolina star. There was no question that the Irish were already high on his last. Their ascension has led to an even greater rise in the opinion of Dunham.
“They’ve always been top on my list but now this might bump them up to the top spot,” Dunham said after ND beat Penn State in the semifinal. “Need to start visiting them more in the near future.”
Dunham is considered a consensus four-star recruit by every major recruiting platform, and is nearly a top 50 overall player. 247Sports is especially high on Dunham, currently ranked as the No. 9 overall player and No. 2 EDGE in the 2026 recruiting class. That ranking also has Dunham pegged as the No. 2 player in the state of North Carolina.
There is a long list of elite programs that are pushing for Dunham. The 6-4, 227-pound pass rusher currently holds offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Auburn, and Florida State among many others.
As a junior, Dunham recorded 29 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, 16 quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, and a blocked kick. Dunham is also a tremendous baseball player at Myers Park, and could explore options to play both on the next level.
