Notre Dame football isn’t just battling Ohio State for a national championship, but for an elite defensive lineman as well
As the Notre Dame football program continues to trend upward, they are going to be involved in more and more recruiting battles for elite players. While everyone is going to be discussing the upcoming national championship matchup against Ohio State, the Irish are also involved in a different type of battle with the Buckeyes currently. […]
As the Notre Dame football program continues to trend upward, they are going to be involved in more and more recruiting battles for elite players. While everyone is going to be discussing the upcoming national championship matchup against Ohio State, the Irish are also involved in a different type of battle with the Buckeyes currently.
In the 2026 recruiting class, San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra Catholic defensive lineman Simote Katoanga is among the biggest priorities on the board for Notre Dame. According to multiple sources, the team is in a very strong spot with Katoanga, who is the teammate of 2025 Notre Dame linebacker signee Madden Faraimo.
Ohio State is also doing well with Katoanga and is considered to be a co-leader with Notre Dame. Those programs battling for top recruits has become even more regular the last couple of seasons, including for 2024 linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and 2025 defensive end Christopher Burgess. If Notre Dame is able to close on the California standout, it would be a huge victory in the 2026 class.
Katoanga is rated as a four-star player by every major recruiting service. He is currently ranked as the No. 58 overall player and No. 6 defensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting class. The On3 Industry also has him pegged as the No. 88 overall player on their ranking. 247Sports also has him currently sitting as the No. 9 player in the state of California, one of the very best territories for developing next level talent.
The 6-5, 240-pound defensive lineman is being pursued by some of the top programs in all of college football. Outside of the Fighting Irish and the Buckeyes, Katoanga also holds offers from Georgia, Oregon, Miami, Clemson, USC, Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Nebraska among many others.
Although Katoanga was a little banged up in 2024, he made his presence felt for JSerra Catholic when he was healthy. In nine games as a junior, he recorded 29 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and five sacks. Katoanga also forced a fumble while blocking three kicks for the team.
His combination of size, power, length, and movement skills make Katoanga a versatile defensive lineman who can play up and down the line of scrimmage. Most believe he will eventually morph into a full time interior player, and could be a difference maker from that alignment.
Notre Dame Football Mailbag: Charles Jagusah, Ohio State talk, and talking the Transfer Portal
Latest edition of the Notre Dame football mailbag.
