How Might Notre Dame Look to Further Improve Their 2026 Class?

Max Uretsky
Jul 22
4 min read

When Chad Bowden left to become General Manager of Notre Dame's most bitter rival, USC, there was a question of how that move would affect recruiting efforts in the future for the Irish. Head Coach Marcus Freeman and the rest of his staff have answered that question emphatically, as it's not just business as usual on the recruiting trail - business is booming.

Photo by The Irish Tribune

Landing elite-level talent such as 5-Star players Joey O'Brien and Rodney Dunham, top-5 Cornerback Khary Adams, top-5 Tight End Ian Premer, a pair of top-15 Running Backs in Javian Osborne and Jonaz Walton, amongst many others, has given Notre Dame a top-5 class nationally, and frankly, one of their best ever. The next part of the equation will be hanging on to all of the commitments through National Signing Day in February of 2026, but for now, Notre Dame is trending way up in the world of recruiting, which should continue to manifest itself on the field. With that being said, no program lands every player they want, and there will always be positions that could use more star power or more depth. Today, we will look at a few areas Notre Dame might look to continue to bolster to further elevate what has already been a jarring success on the recruiting trail.

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Interior Defensive Line

With a commitment date set for August 9th for high-end 4-Star DL Elijah Golden, this position may get an answer sooner rather than later if Notre Dame can reel him in. The 6'4", 275-pound Florida native would be a perfect complement to a class that already boasts a pair of elite edge players in Rodney Dunham and Ebenezer Ewetade. Golden, who has been used from multiple alignments in high school, projects as a potential pass-rushing 3-tech Defensive Tackle, where he can pair his excellent upfield burst and strength to create havoc from the interior. 3-Star DL Tiki Hola, who has a chance to be an elite run stopper at the next level, is currently the only Defensive Tackle in the 2026 class for Notre Dame. It is one of the few areas Notre Dame has not had top-end success recruiting the last couple of years, but that could change in an instant depending on what happens the rest of the cycle.

Linebacker

When Notre Dame takes the field during Labor Day weekend, they figure to roll out one of the best Linebacker corps in the country. That corps was built on the back of recruiting, even in today's transfer portal happy world. Jaylen Sneed was a 2022 commit, Drayk Bowen and Jaiden Ausberry were a part of the 2023 class, and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa came in a year after in 2024. As of now, the class of 2026 has two linebackers committed, Thomas Davis Jr. and Jakobe Clapper, but could it benefit from some more depth? When it comes to Thomas Davis Jr., Notre Dame had two victories of sorts. The first was initially landing him, and the second came when ND was able to seemingly fend off his father's alma mater, Georgia, who were looking to flip him. Davis Jr. is an athletically gifted second-level player who, during his Junior season, was asked to play a LB's role from almost a Nickelback-type alignment at times, showing his ability to read and react and play in space. Clapper is a high-level run stopper who, because of his use of hands and natural bend, offers versatility as a pass rusher as well. Both players have the talent to see the field down the line, with Clapper being a potential position change candidate because of his versatility. Another downhill thumper in the second level could benefit the Fighting Irish.

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Offensive Tackle

Although there are four players listed as Offensive Tackles already committed to the 2026 class, my inclusion of this position group is due to some projections for the next level. Players like Ben Nichols and Gregory Patrick, I could see kicking inside to play Guard, which leaves Grayson McKeogh and Charlie Thom. McKeogh has received a lot of hype as of late due to his athletic profile and high upside, but he just began playing OT during his Junior season and will still need more polishing. Thom spent his Junior season as an H-Back/Tight End, before reclassifying as an Offensive Tackle and switching schools heading into his 2025 Senior campaign. McKeogh has a full year at his new position under his belt and should see a large jump in development as a Senior, whereas Thom will only get one season to try to develop his skillset as an offensive tackle before graduating and moving on to Notre Dame. In both instances, it leaves the Tackle position a bit raw, and could be an area to monitor going forward.

No recruiting class is perfect, but Notre Dame has certainly separated itself when it comes to acquiring the talent needed to consistently field a winning product. The internal moves made throughout the recruiting department, as well as the hiring of new GM Mike Martin, have yielded the type of results that are reserved for the sports elite, and the Blue and Gold are firmly a part of that conversation and do not seem to be going away any time soon.