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After reclassifying from 2028 to 2027, DL Segun Alexander saw his recruitment speed up, and it was Notre Dame earning his commitment today. Photo via Segun Alexander/IG (@_.segun) The 6-3, 270-pound DL chose Notre Dame over Texas A&M, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and others. Once a top-20 DL in the class of 2028, Alexander now ranks as a four-star and the #42 DL, per Rivals Industry, following his reclassification to 2027. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Alexander was raised in Ontario, Canada, before moving down south to Georgia for high school. The DL moved to Lilburn, just outside of Atlanta, where he spent two years at Providence Christian Academy. Prior to his Junior season, Alexander transferred to Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Northeast Georgia. The DL dominated in his first season at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee, totaling 36 tackles, 18 TFLs, 13 sacks, 19 QB hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Alexander caused havoc for opposing QBs week in and week out, tallying five games with at least two sacks. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Alexander truly has a limitless ceiling with his elite pass-rushing bag. He is powerful, but has shown he can get past linemen with more than just this pure strength. While Alexander projects as an interior defender in college, he does offer the versatility to rush off the edge when the situation is presented. Notre Dame’s 2027 class now stands at 20 commits, including six listed DL, following today’s pledge. Alexander’s commitment also marks the first of the class out of Georgia for the Irish staff. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

*Updated June 22nd, 2026 Notre Dame has cemented itself among the nation's best on the recruiting trail, as the Fighting Irish are once again tracking for a Top-5 class come signing day. Offense Julius Jones Jr. - Wide Receiver Ranking: 4-Star, 75th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 5'10", 175 lbs Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Notable Offers: Miami, Oregon Stats: Junior season: 58 receptions, 876 yards, 14 TDs (via Andrew Ivins) Wonderful "Champ" Monds IV - Quarterback Ranking: 4-Star, 256th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'2", 225 lbs Location: Vero Beach, FL Notable Offers: Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, Texas A&M Stats: Freshman season: 2,234 passing yards, 23 passing TDs, 68% completion. 502 rushing yards, 9 rushing TDs in 12 games. Injured ankle during sophomore season, limited to four games (MaxPreps) Titus Hawk - Tight End Ranking: 4-Star, 374th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'7", 210 lbs Location: Choctaw, OK Notable Offers: Alabama, Michigan, Miami, Texas A&M, Florida Stats: Junior season: 31 receptions, 644 receiving yards, 8 TDs (via Andrew Ivins) Jackson Coleman - Wide Receiver Ranking: 3-Star, 883rd Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'3", 185 lbs Location: Littleton, CO Notable Offers: Michigan, Miami, Oregon, Colorado Stats: Junior season: 45 receptions, 975 yards, 9 TDs in 13 games (via Andrew Ivins) Oluwasemilore Olubobola - Offensive Tackle Ranking: 5-Star, 13th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'6", 295 lbs Location: Jersey City, NJ Notable Offers: Ohio State, Miami, Oregon, Texas A&M, LSU Stats: N/A James Halter - Offensive Tackle Ranking: 4-Star, 88th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'6", 270 lbs Location: Pittsburgh, PA Notable Offers: Ohio State, Auburn, Indiana, Duke, North Carolina Stats: N/A Jackson Hill - Offensive Tackle/Offensive Guard Ranking: 3-Star, 627th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'5", 280 lbs Location: West Hills, CA Notable Offers: UCLA, Stanford Stats: N/A Isaiah Rogers - Running Back Ranking: 4-Star, 194th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 5'11", 205 lbs Location: Springfield, MA Notable Offers: Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Penn State Stats: Junior season: 986 rushing yards in 10 games (7.8 yards per carry), 15 rushing TD, 401 receiving yards, 3 receiving TDs. (via Andrew Ivins) Lathan Whisenton - Running Back Ranking: 4-Star, 156th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 5'11", 194 lbs Location: Waco, TX Notable Offers: Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida, Michigan Stats: Junior season: 1,502 rushing yards in 11 games (9.1 yards per carry), 24 rushing TD, 102 receiving yards (MaxPreps) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Defense Abraham Sesay - Edge Ranking: 4-Star, 47th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'5", 215 lbs Location: Exton, PA Notable Offers: LSU, Florida State, Alabama Stats: Junior season: 13 sacks, also got snaps at TE (via Andrew Ivins) Jackson Vaughn - Defensive End Ranking: 4-Star, 247th Nationally (247 Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'3", 225 lbs Location: Oradell, NJ Notable Offers: Alabama, LSU, Oregon, Ohio State, Miami Stats: Sophomore season: 40 tackles, 12 TFL, 8 sacks, 3 PBU (Via Andrew Ivins) Xavier Hasan - Cornerback Ranking: 4-Star, 42nd Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 5'11", 195 lbs Location: Raleigh, NC Notable Offers: Michigan, Penn State, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State Stats: Junior season: 17 total tackles, 3 interceptions, and 3 kickoff return TDs. (MaxPreps) Ace Alston - Cornerback Ranking: 4-Star, 84th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 5'11", 175 lbs Location: Cincinnati, OH Notable Offers: Miami, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, Oregon Stats: Junior season: 53 total tackles, 1.5 TFL, 16 PBU, 1 interception (via Andrew Ivins) Zayden Gamble - Safety Ranking: 4-Star, 146th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 5'11", 190 lbs Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Notable Offers: Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Texas Stats: Junior season: 65 tackles, 3 TFL, 5 PBU, 3 interceptions, 1 forced fumble (via Andrew Ivins) John Gay - Safety Ranking: 3-Star, 764th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'1", 185 lbs Location: Hollywood, FL Notable Offers: Florida, Ole Miss, Auburn, Texas A&M Stats: Junior season: 32 tackles, 3 PBU, 1 interception (via Andrew Ivins) Aidan O'Neil - Edge Ranking: 4-Star, 143rd Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'5", 240 lbs Location: Ramsey, NJ Notable Offers: Miami, Ohio State, Florida, Georgia, LSU Stats: Junior season: 54 tackles, 16 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles (via Andrew Ivins) David Folorunsho - Defensive Line Ranking: 5-Star, 27th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'3", 280 lbs Location: Chicago, IL Notable Offers: Miami, Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Michigan Stats: Sophomore season: 24 total tackles, 1 sack (MaxPreps) Richie Flanigan - Defensive Line/Offensive Line Ranking: 4-Star, 408th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'3", 265 lbs Location: Green Bay, WI Notable Offers: Michigan, Duke, Wisconsin, Stanford Stats: Sophomore season: 24 total tackles, 1 sack (MaxPreps) Special Teams Sean Kraft - Long Snapper Ranking: 3-Star, 1,818th Nationally (247Sports Composite) Height/Weight: 6'4", 215 lbs Location: Swannanoa, NC Notable Offers: North Carolina, Wake Forest Stats: N/A Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame continues their “Florida Dame” run with a big-time commitment from legacy recruit, Julius Jones Jr, announcing his decision on Monday live from The Pat McAfee Show. Photo via Julius Jones Jr./IG (@juliusjones.jr) Jones, a consensus four-star prospect, is one of the most sought-after receiver recruits in the country, holding 44 offers, according to 247 Sports. The 2026 Under Armour Next All-American Game selection committed to Notre Dame over Miami, Oregon, and others. No doubt a factor in his decision was former Notre Dame RB (1999-2003) and Jones’ namesake and father, Julius Jones. After rushing for 1,268 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior, Jones was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2nd Round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Across eight professional seasons, the former Irish RB rushed for over 5,000 yards and tallied 22 touchdowns. The elder Jones’ brother also shares an NFL connection, with Thomas, also a former RB, having been the 7th overall selection in the 2000 draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Thomas Jones went on to rush for 10,591 yards and 68 touchdowns across 12 seasons in the NFL. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Notre Dame’s newest commit and member of the Jones family stands at 5-11 and 175 pounds. Being raised in Fort Lauderdale, Jones attends national football powerhouse, St. Thomas Aquinas. This past season, he helped Aquinas to its seventh consecutive state title by posting 876 yards and 14 touchdowns across 58 receptions. Jones makes a diving one-handed catch in the State Championship Jones becomes the second WR to join Notre Dame’s 2027 recruiting class. He joins a class that received a commitment from Aquinas teammate and friend, DB Zayden Gamble, on April 25th. Jones’s commitment also marks the Irish’s fourth Florida pledge from the ‘27 class. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Besides a bloodline of NFL stars, including a former star Irish RB, Jones brings a winning mindset, as evidenced by his team’s and his own success at Aquinas. On the field, Jones possesses high-end speed, posting a 10.52 100-meter dash in March. This past season’s film is highlighted by skilled route-running and reliable hands. Jones projects as a versatile slot option with big YAC abilities that will prove valuable for the Notre Dame offense. Who do you think will be Notre Dame's next commitment? Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

*Updated June 19th, 2026 Notre Dame is gearing up for another huge recruiting weekend. Here are some names to keep an eye on going forward in the class of 2027. Photo by Jordan Herald Please see our commitment tracker to stay up to date with Fighting Irish commits. OFFENSE Wide Receiver Julius Jones (4-star) 5-10 175lbs out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 72nd overall nationally and 12th overall at the wide receiver position. He holds 44 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 10th-12th, 2026 (unofficial) Official visit to Notre Dame set for June 19th-21st Commitment date set for June 22nd Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Offensive Line Albert Simien (5-star) 6-4 280lbs out of Sam Houston High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 13th overall nationally and 2nd overall at the interior offensive line position. He holds 24 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame for the annual Junior Day Event on the weekend of March 19th-21st, 2026 Official Visit June 19th-21st DEFENSE Defensive Line Brayden Parks (4-star) 6-3 305lbs out of Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Illinois. He is ranked by 247Sports as 172nd overall nationally and 19th overall at the defensive line position. He holds 40 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame for the annual Junior Day Event on the weekend of March 19th-21st, 2026 Official Visit Set For June 12th Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Linebacker Roman Igwebuike (4-star) 6-3 220lbs out of Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, Illinois. He is ranked by 247Sports as 149th overall nationally and 13th overall at the linebacker position. He holds 45 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 18th, 2026 (unofficial) Official visit set for June 12th Named Notre Dame as a member of his Top 5 schools (5/7/2026) Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Recently, ESPN's Adam Rittenberg ranked Notre Dame No. 1 in a two-year power ranking. With national attention now recognizing what Marcus Freeman is building in South Bend, what makes Notre Dame so special? In Rittenberg's article, he lays out the criteria for his rankings, listing the QB position, offensive/defensive line, roster management, star power, and coaching staff as his main points of conversation. Again, this is a two-year outlook, so it is important to forecast what the team will look like not only during this upcoming season, but also the year after. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! When it comes to the QB position, Rittenberg first points out the diamond Notre Dame has found in CJ Carr. For years, Notre Dame was stuck in a "rental" situation at QB, constantly bouncing around from transfer QB to transfer QB. Now, they have Carr returning for his second season, where he has real expectations of becoming one of the top players in the country at his position. Looking beyond him, they also have intriguing options with Blake Hebert and Noah Grubbs as depth pieces or potential starters. Teddy Jarrard also joins the room and brings what looks to be real star-power in the future. Next, Rittenberg breaks down what appears to be the strength for Notre Dame in 2026 and has been ever since Freeman became head coach, which is the offensive and defensive line. Notre Dame has always prided itself on being a team that wants to dominate the line of scrimmage. In 2024, it was largely this that led them to the National Championship game. Rittenberg accurately points out that in 2026, there is a lot to like on both sides of the Irish line of scrimmage. On the offensive line, they have a lot of returning production with Anthonie Knapp, Ashton Craig, Sullivan Absher, and Guerby Lambert. They combine this with the extremely talented Will Black to make up what looks to be one of the best lines in college football. Rittenberg points out that the defensive line looks to be just as formidable with Boubacar Traore, Bryce Young, and Jason Onye, along with the portal additions of Tionne Gray, Keon Keeley, and Francis Brewu. This defensive line has size, speed, and athleticism at levels that Notre Dame has not seen in years. They look to be a strong part of a defense that, on paper, looks as talented as any in college football. Next on Rittenberg's criteria, he looks at the roster management of Notre Dame's football team. This may be where Notre Dame fans have seen the most change throughout Freeman's tenure. During his time, Freeman has been able to accumulate and retain talent at a rate that seemed impossible just a few years ago. Rittenberg goes into the high-level recruiting Freeman achieves, landing one of the best 2026 classes in the country, and is looking to do it again in the 2027 class. This, combined with Freeman's ability to retain the talent on his team, gives Notre Dame an excellent ability to reload and rebuild talented rosters year in and year out. Rittenberg also notes that Freeman does this, all while never relying too much on the portal to build his rosters, even landing high-profile wide receivers from Ohio State with plenty of years of eligibility. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle The fourth on his list is star power, where Notre Dame has plenty of that, too. Notre Dame goes into the 2026 season with some of the best players at their respective positions. Leonard Moore seems to be the undisputed best cornerback in the country, and he may be the best defensive player overall. There is also CJ Carr, who is primed for a huge year that puts him into consideration as one of the best QB's in the nation and even a Heisman contender. Besides those two, Rittenberg also points out all the other star players Notre Dame has on its roster, including Traore, Brewu, and Craig. To add to that, Notre Dame has plenty of other candidates that could step into a star role in 2026, such as Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Drayk Bowen, Mylan Graham, and many others. Lastly, Rittenberg mentions Notre Dame's coaching staff as a huge plus for Notre Dame. Obviously, he first points out the star that is Marcus Freeman. Regarded as one of the best coaches in the sport, Freeman has elevated the Notre Dame program, which has garnered a lot of attention from the NFL. Along with this, Rittenberg notes that he was also able to retain both his coordinators, bringing some continuity to a team with a lot of returning players. Overall, Notre Dame is set to be in a position to continue competing for National Championships for the foreseeable future. They have the players, the infrastructure, the recruiting, and the coaches to succeed at the highest level. This was not the case just a few years ago, but that change is due to the impressive work that Freeman, his staff, and Notre Dame have put in to make sure this program is competitive in this new era of college football. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame's Defensive Line, charged by Coach Charlie Partridge, continues to add top-end talent following Tuesday's commitment from EDGE Abraham Sesay Jr. Photo via Abraham Sesay/IG (@abrahamljs) The 6-6, 230-pound presence chose Notre Dame over LSU, Florida State, and others. Rivals lists Sesay as a five-star talent, naming him the #16 overall recruit, #2 EDGE, and #3 player in Pennsylvania in the class of 2027. Sesay resides in Exton, PA, where he attends Downingtown East High School as a football and basketball star. This past fall, the EDGE posted 80 tackles and 13 sacks on the gridiron, and also played some Tight End on offense. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! The Irish’s newest pledge has the makings of a potential game wrecker at the next level. Sesay carries elite physical traits, including his height, a frame that weight can be added to, 33-inch arms, and 10.25-inch hands. The latter two measurements are comparable to the recent #2 overall NFL Draft selection, David Bailey, for reference. This long reach with big hands helps Sesay dominate against the pass and wrap up against the run. Sesay maintains a good burst and motor, resulting in an elite bull rush that will translate to college ball. Sesay’s commitment marks Notre Dame’s 18th overall commit in the class of 2027. He joins OT James Halter as the second Pennsylvania commit and becomes the fifth DL to join the group. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

*Updated June 9th, 2026 Notre Dame is gearing up for another huge recruiting weekend. Here are some names to keep an eye on going forward in the class of 2027. Photo by Jordan Herald Please see our commitment tracker to stay up to date with Fighting Irish commits. OFFENSE Wide Receiver Julius Jones (4-star) 5-10 175lbs out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 72nd overall nationally and 12th overall at the wide receiver position. He holds 44 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 10th-12th, 2026 (unofficial) Official visit to Notre Dame set for June 11th-13th Commitment date set for June 23rd Osani Gayles (4-star) 5-11.5 185lbs out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 48th overall nationally and the 8th overall at the wide receiver position. He holds 30 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 9th-10th, 2026 (unofficial) Named Notre Dame in his Top 5 on 5/6/2026 Commitment date set for June 27th Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Offensive Line Albert Simien (5-star) 6-4 280lbs out of Sam Houston High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 13th overall nationally and 2nd overall at the interior offensive line position. He holds 24 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame for the annual Junior Day Event on the weekend of March 19th-21st, 2026 DEFENSE Edge Abraham Sesay (4-star) 6-5 215lbs out of Downingtown East High School in Exton, Pennsylvania. He is ranked by 247Sports as 50th overall nationally and 7th overall at the Edge position. He holds 28 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 18th, 2026 (unofficial) Official visit set for June 12th Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Defensive Line Brayden Parks (4-star) 6-3 305lbs out of Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Illinois. He is ranked by 247Sports as 172nd overall nationally and 19th overall at the defensive line position. He holds 40 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame for the annual Junior Day Event on the weekend of March 19th-21st, 2026 Official Visit Set For June 12th Linebacker Kaden Henderson (5-star) 6-1.5 218lbs out of Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida. He is ranked by 247Sports as 24th overall nationally and 1st overall at the linebacker position. He holds 47 D1 offers. Visitied Notre Dame on April 18th, 2026 (unofficial) Named Notre Dame as a member of his Top 5 schools (3/6/2026) Official Visit set for June 19th Roman Igwebuike (4-star) 6-3 220lbs out of Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, Illinois. He is ranked by 247Sports as 149th overall nationally and 13th overall at the linebacker position. He holds 45 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 18th, 2026 (unofficial) Official visit set for June 12th Named Notre Dame as a member of his Top 5 schools (5/7/2026) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Athletes Marcus Fakatou (5-star) 6-6 275lbs out of Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, California. He is ranked by 247Sports as 32nd overall nationally and 2nd overall at the defensive line position. He holds 36 D1 offers. Official Visit to Notre Dame set for June 15th Tae Walden Jr. (4-star) 6-2.5 165lbs out of Collierville High School in Collierville, Tennessee. He is ranked by 247Sports as 125th overall nationally and 6th overall at the ath position. He holds 37 D1 offers. Announced Notre Dame as a member of his Top 10 schools on (4/6/2026) Matthew Gregory (4-star) 6-1 170lbs out of Owen J Roberts High School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 107th overall nationally and 17th overall at the ath position. He holds 26 D1 offers. Announced Notre Dame as a member of his Top 7 schools on (5/14/2026) Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Independence empowers. It inspires hope, fuels the fight, and shapes how millions live. Yet in College Football, it has become a loaded term, burdened by negative connotations—especially for one storied program. Photo by The Irish Tribune The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team competes as an independent, a status that has drawn them constant ridicule. This criticism intensified after they were excluded from the College Football Playoff last season and declined a bowl bid. Now, a new Memorandum of Understanding guarantees them a playoff spot if they finish in the top 12 of the final rankings, amplifying public scrutiny and resentment. This has opened the floodgates of derision and insults. Notre Dame has been targeted by coaches (namely, Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney), and an unnamed Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) coach said: "I can't stand them. Not only do they beat us on the field, but they also steal all our best players and recruits. And to make matters worse, I think my wife has a crush on their coach. I'm just getting really sick of them”. That quote was after an unnamed ACC executive was quoted as saying: “(Notre Dame) is the guy that walks in the house, opens the fridge, eats all the food, then (screws) the wife, kicks the dog, doesn’t pay the mortgage & walks out w/out any skin in the game.” Despite the sources being unnamed, the ACC can ill advise such irresponsible statements. Notre Dame helps the ACC immensely. Last season’s Notre Dame vs Miami matchup to open the season garnered 10.8 million viewers. It was one of only two ACC Conference games to be in the top 50 most-watched games of the season (the other was Miami versus Florida State, with a touch over 6 million viewers, coming in at number 38). When the 2026 season schedules were fully released, it was revealed that Notre Dame had three prime-time games. Many other powerhouse fan bases took to social media to complain, with Ohio State being the most vocal, which has had most of its major games relegated to Fox Big Noon Kickoff, including their annual showdown with Michigan and last season's opening matchup against Texas. This is due to the Big Ten's television deal with Fox. But somehow, Notre Dame became the target of anger and visceral hatred. I feel compelled to say that Ohio State does deserve more primetime games. Could you imagine a game against Michigan played under the lights at the Horseshoe or the daunting Big House? It would be an environment that would amplify rivalry and make it a memorable game. But this is not a Notre Dame problem; this is a Big Ten problem. To attack Notre Dame for this and, in turn, target their independence is just scapegoating at its finest and willful ignorance of television contracts at its worst. All of this stems from one glaring emotion: jealousy. Notre Dame’s independence benefits them in ways that have allowed them to regain their footing at the forefront of college football. The past three recruiting classes show this. Notre Dame athletics made $20 million from their 2024 playoff run to the National Championship game. Because of their independence, this was revenue they were able to keep in full. This also includes their estimated groundbreaking $10 million per year deal with outfitter Under Armour. This has allowed them to build a new state-of-the-art athletic center, the Jack and Kathy Shields Family Hall. That two-year project is set to conclude this summer. ESPN Heather Dinich once said, “College Football is just better when Notre Dame is good.” Sadly, many do not feel that way. But when we, as fans, see the derision towards “Our Lady,” we must think, does it come from fact or does it come from jealousy? Often, we will find it is the green-eyed monster of the latter and not the research driven by the former. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame's schedule has been a major point of conversation during this offseason. With USC off the schedule and the upcoming series with Texas now in jeopardy, is the new era of college football bad for Notre Dame's schedule? Photo by The Irish Tribune While Notre Dame has been able to flourish while keeping their independence, their ability to schedule marquee opponents seems to be in doubt due to the ever-evolving landscape of college football. The first casualty was the coveted Notre Dame-USC rivalry. A series that has spanned a century, and only ceased previously due to a world war and a global pandemic. But after USC jumped ship to the BIG 10, neither side has been able to find common ground to continue the series. Now, both fanbases will claim it was the other school that decided to back out of the game, but either way, it hurts not only Notre Dame but college football as a whole. Just recently, it appeared that the upcoming series with Texas could also be in jeopardy as Texas' AD Chris Del Conte told On3's Brett McMurphy that the series was "tentatively" scheduled. The 12-team playoff format has created a burden for many teams to curate a schedule that gives them the best chance to make the playoff field. To do that, it is almost a forgone conclusion that a team must get to at least 10 wins. This makes teams much more hesitant to schedule tough out-of-conference games if their conference schedule is already difficult. In USC's case, their conference schedule comprises Oregon, Penn State, Indiana, and Ohio State. With this slate in the BIG 10, USC likely decided it cannot afford to add one more difficult game to the schedule. Notre Dame fans will argue that USC's line of thinking is "soft" or "bad for college football", but it is a growing ideology throughout the sport as programs try to strike the perfect balance to create schedules that are strong enough to make the playoffs while winning enough games. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Second, the overall changes to conferences and how they schedule have also threatened Notre Dame's future matchups. Conference realignment has consolidated a lot of the sport's best programs into two or three conferences. With Notre Dame's choice to stay independent through all of this, it has left them in a spot where they are sometimes the odd man out when it comes to scheduling. To add to this, the ACC agreement has limited the freedom Notre Dame has to schedule whoever it would like. If the ACC were up to par with the SEC and BIG 10 in terms of the strength and parity amongst its members, this would not be a problem, but the ACC has struggled to keep up with other conferences when it comes to overall talent. The second part of this is the SEC moving from an eight-game to a nine-game conference schedule in 2026. For Notre Dame, that means there is one less week in the season to schedule a game with an SEC team in the future. With the BIG 10 already playing a nine-game conference schedule, it worsens the chances of getting a premier game locked in for the future. This is likely the reason Texas is seemingly pouring cold water on the idea that the series scheduled between the two schools will happen. With the news that the Texas series might be up in the air, Texas Tech's Head Coach Joey McGuire expressed his desire to replace Texas if they decide to drop out of the home-and-home series. With BYU replacing USC, Notre Dame may have an ally in the Big-12, as they are constantly looking to beef up their schedule to compete with the SEC and BIG 10. While nothing is certain, especially as college football seems to change on a daily basis, it will be critical that Notre Dame stays in front of these changes to continue to give Marcus Freeman and his talented teams the best chance to win a National Championship. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

*Updated June 2nd, 2026 Notre Dame's defensive class is one of the best in the country, and with more key additions in the crosshairs, the Fighting Irish recruiting machine shows no signs of slowing down. Photo by The Irish Tribune Here are some names to keep an eye on going forward in the class of 2027. Please see our commitment tracker to stay up to date with Fighting Irish commits Edge Abraham Sesay (4-star) 6-5 215lbs out of Downingtown East High School in Exton, Pennsylvania. He is ranked by 247Sports as 50th overall nationally and 7th overall at the Edge position. He holds 28 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 18th, 2026 (unofficial) Official visit set for June 19th Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Defensive Line Brayden Parks (4-star) 6-3 305lbs out of Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Illinois. He is ranked by 247Sports as 172nd overall nationally and 19th overall at the defensive line position. He holds 40 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame for the annual Junior Day Event on the weekend of March 19th-21st, 2026 Santana Harvey (4-star) 6-5 220lbs out of Lakeland High School in Lakeland, Florida. He is ranked by 247Sports as 284th overall nationally and 35th overall at the defensive line position. He holds 34 D1 offers. Official Visit set for June 19th Linebacker Kaden Henderson (5-star) 6-1.5 218lbs out of Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida. He is ranked by 247Sports as 24th overall nationally and 1st overall at the linebacker position. He holds 47 D1 offers. Visitied Notre Dame on April 18th, 2026 (unofficial) Named Notre Dame as a member of his Top 5 schools (3/6/2026) Official Visit set for June 19th Toa Satale (4-star) 6-3 200lbs out of Miliani High School in Miliani, Hawaii. He is ranked by 247Sports as 63rd overall nationally and 4th overall at the linebacker position. He holds 32 D1 offers. Roman Igwebuike (4-star) 6-3 220lbs out of Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, Illinois. He is ranked by 247Sports as 149th overall nationally and 13th overall at the linebacker position. He holds 45 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 18th, 2026 (unofficial) Set to visit Notre Dame on June 12th-14th Named Notre Dame as a member of his Top 5 schools (5/7/2026) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Athletes Xavier Sabb (5-star) 6-1 180lbs out of Glassboro High School in Glassboro, California. He is ranked by 247Sports as 31st overall nationally and 2nd overall as an athlete. He holds 24 D1 offers. Marcus Fakatou (5-star) 6-6 275lbs out of Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, California. He is ranked by 247Sports as 32nd overall nationally and 2nd overall at the defensive line position. He holds 36 D1 offers. Official Visit to Notre Dame set for June 15th Tae Walden Jr. (4-star) 6-2.5 165lbs out of Collierville High School in Collierville, Tennessee. He is ranked by 247Sports as 125th overall nationally and 6th overall at the ath position. He holds 37 D1 offers. Announced Notre Dame as a member of his Top 10 schools on (4/6/2026) Brayton Feister (4-star) 6-3 230lbs out of Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, Ohio. He is ranked by 247 Sports 132nd overall nationally and 7th overall at the ath position. He holds 31 D1 offers. Matthew Gregory (4-star) 6-1 170lbs out of Owen J Roberts High School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 107th overall nationally and 17th overall at the ath position. He holds 26 D1 offers. Announced Notre Dame as a member of his Top 7 schools on (5/14/2026) Cade Cooper (4-star) 6-3 192lbs out of Malvern Prep High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 339th overall nationally and 43rd overall at the wr/ath position. He holds 24 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on March 28th, 2026 Official Visit set for June 12th Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

With the basketball offseason in full swing and Notre Dame’s 2026-27 roster essentially set in tone, we take an early glance at what Micah Shrewsberry’s squad could look like this winter. Photo via Brady Koehler/IG (@brady__koehler) It is no secret that last season was a disaster for the Irish and Coach Shrewsberry, winning just 13 games and tying second-to-last in the ACC. Shrewsberry enters year four with a 41-56 overall record at Notre Dame, resulting in his name being repeatedly thrown around the “hot seat” conversation. In all likelihood, this is a make-or-break year for the Indianapolis native. So, what can fans expect from an Irish squad that returns just under 25% of its scoring from a year ago? Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! The Roster Below is a look at what Micah Shrewsberry’s rotation may look like on November 1st in Rome: 1: Braeden Smith (Gonzaga transfer), Jonathan Sanderson (Four-Star Freshman) 2: Braeden Shrewsberry (Senior), Logan Imes (Senior) 3: Ethan Roberts (Penn transfer), Devin Brown (Davidson transfer) 4: Brady Koehler (Sophomore), Bryce Dortch (Rutgers transfer) 5: Logan Duncomb (Winthrop transfer), Tommy Ahneman (Redshirt Freshman) Reserves: Yoro Diallo, Gan-Erdene Salongo, Nick Shrewsberry, Brady Stevens, Luke Devine, Jake Burow Notes: Shrewsberry has favored a 10-man rotation each of the past two seasons (9-man in 2023-24) Ideally, he can cut it down to a well-rounded 8-man rotation I believe Diallo, Salongo, and Nick Shrewsberry can all play themselves into the rotation throughout the year Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Three Players to Watch Braeden Smith - Let me preface with Markus Burton is a great basketball player and will always be a true Domer in my mind. Now, Braeden Smith is the first true PG that Shrewsberry will get to work with. The six-foot Gonzaga transfer looks to create for others first, posting 4.6 assists per game across a 105-game collegiate career thus far. A solid shooter himself, Smith’s versatility could open up things for the Irish offense in ways we have not seen in the previous three seasons. Logan Duncomb - Similar to Smith, Duncomb provides something that Shrewsberry has not had during his Notre Dame tenure: an offensive big-man threat. The 6-10, 230-pound Winthrop transfer shot 60% from the field last season while leading the NCAA in points per 40 minutes and player efficiency rating. Duncomb earned Big South Conference Player of the Year honors after averaging over 18 points and nearly nine rebounds per game. His offensive paint ability should allow for a more versatile team offense than we have seen thus far in the Shrewsberry era. Brady Koehler - Perhaps the most enticing player on the roster to Notre Dame fans, many expect Koehler to take a big sophomore jump. As one of just two returnees in the projected starting lineup, the 6-10 Indiana native should be one of this group’s leaders on and off the court. A walking highlight, Koehler flashes as a potential two-way breakout star. Appearing in 30 games and starting the last 13 games of the year as a freshman, he averaged 5.6 PPG on 45% shooting from the field and 38% from three. Defensively, he added 0.7 blocks and 0.7 steals per contest, using his length to disrupt opposing offenses. If given the keys, Koehler could be amongst the top players in the ACC. But for now, he will just need to focus on continuing his development and playing whatever role Shrewsberry asks of the athletic Forward. Way-Too-Early Predictions Ceiling: 10th in ACC; Around 20 wins, which should be enough for ACC teams to reach the newly expanded NCAA Tournament field; Shrewsberry would likely return in 2026-27. My Guess: 12th in ACC; Potential invite to the College Basketball Crown; Notre Dame lucked out with their ACC home and away matchups, drawing two games each against Boston College and Wake Forest are four potential wins; ACC road schedule is brutal, realistically one or two wins; Non-Conference is still TBD, however current matchups with Villanova in Rome and Florida in the Players Era 8 are brutal tests; 50/50 on if Shrewsberry would return in this scenario, likely dependent on Pete Bevacqua’s feelings. Floor: 14th in ACC; This could be 13th, but I want to give some grace to Luke Murray and Boston College in case they have a magical one-year turnaround; Notre Dame should not finish behind Georgia Tech; Shrewsberry should and, hopefully, would be fired in this instance. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

*Updated May 30th, 2026 Notre Dame's push for back-to-back top 5 classes continues, as a few key targets remain in play on the offensive side of the ball. Photo by The Irish Tribune Here are some names to keep an eye on going forward in the class of 2027. Please see our commitment tracker to stay up to date with Fighting Irish commits. Wide Receiver Julius Jones (4-star) 5-10 175lbs out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 72nd overall nationally and 12th overall at the wide receiver position. He holds 44 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 10th-12th, 2026 (unofficial) Official visit to Notre Dame set for June 11th-13th Commitment date set for June 23rd Osani Gayles (4-star) 5-11.5 185lbs out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 48th overall nationally and the 8th overall at the wide receiver position. He holds 30 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame on April 9th-10th, 2026 (unofficial) Named Notre Dame in his Top 5 on 5/6/2026 Commitment date set for June 27th Trenton Yancey (4-star) 5-10.5 190lbs out of Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 233rd overall nationally and 31st overall at the wide receiver position. He holds 39 D1 offers. Named Notre Dame in his Top 10 on 3/4/2026 Visited Notre Dame on April 18th, 2026 (unofficial) Official Visit set for June 19th Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Offensive Line Albert Simien (5-star) 6-4 280lbs out of Sam Houston High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He is ranked by 247 Sports as 13th overall nationally and 2nd overall at the interior offensive line position. He holds 24 D1 offers. Visited Notre Dame for the annual Junior Day Event on the weekend of March 19th-21st, 2026 Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!