Meet the Notre Dame Fighting Irish class of 2026 commitments

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Get to know the class of 2026 prospects committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in this feature from Blue & Gold.

We have provided background info on each of the commits below (in chronological order from the newest pledge to the oldest) and will continue to update this article each time Notre Dame lands a new commitment.

Height: 5-11

Weight: 180

Commitment date: July 11, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 60 S and No. 44 player from North Carolina

Notre Dame capped off an elite defensive back class with Reddish, who picked the Irish over Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin and others. He's a versatile defender who can play nickel or safety in South Bend. Reddish was one of Notre Dame's Pot of Gold Day offers back in March 2024, and he visited campus four times before eventually committing.

He missed a high majority of his junior season due to injury, but as a sophomore, Reddish totaled 95 tackles (3 for loss), 4 interceptions, 10 pass break ups, 4 fumble recoveries and 2 forced fumbles during his sophomore season. Reddish was named to the Southwestern 4A Conference's all-conference team in 2023.

Height: 5-8

Weight: 160

Commitment date: July 6, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 80 WR and No. 73 player from Texas

The Irish beat out Arizona and Miami for their longtime, speedy playmaker who could be dangerous for Notre Dame out of the slot and in the return game. He visited campus for the first time in January for junior day, returned for the Blue-Gold Game in April and was in town for his official visit the weekend of June 13-15.

As a junior in 2024, Robinson caught 79 passes for 1,119 yards with 15 touchdowns. During his three-season prep career, he's hauled in 155 passes for 2,328 yards with 34 total scores. He was a member of the 2024, 2023 and 2022 5A-1 Region II District 7 first-team all-district. His personal best in the 100-meter race is a blazing 10.44 seconds. He also reports an impressive 4.35-second 40-yard dash time.

Height: 6-2

Weight: 185

Commitment date: July 5, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 83 WR and No. 9 player from Arizona

The son of NFL legend and College Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald picked the Irish over offers from the likes of Clemson, Michigan and UCLA despite Notre Dame extending a scholarship to him later in the process. Last season, Fitzgerald caught 52 passes for 720 yards and 9 touchdowns in 13 games, earning All-Central Region second-team honors. Before his commitment, he held scholarship offers from 18 Power Four programs. He brings great size, leaping ability, hands and smarts to the Irish wide receiver room.

Height: 6-0.5

Weight: 200

Commitment date: June 4, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 108 NATL, No. 14 WR and No. 17 player from Texas

Notre Dame is over the moon to have Finley in its 2026 class, with the four-star talent being the marquee wideout of the group. The Irish beat out Texas -- his father's college team -- as well as Arizona State, Texas A&M and UCLA, which were his other finalists. He was a Pot of Gold Day offer for the Irish in March 2024, and the staff pulled out all the stops to get Finley locked in. And he's set to enroll early at Notre Dame.

During his junior season in 2024, Finley hauled in 81 passes for 1,432 yards and 21 touchdowns. He helped Aledo reach the quarterfinal of the Texas 5A D1 with a 12-2 record and was named to the 2024 MaxPreps High School Football Junior All-America second-team offense. Finley was listed on the Texas Sports Writer Association Class 5A all-state first team offense and Texas High School Coaches Association 5A Football Super Elite Team.

Height: 6-5

Weight: 225

Commitment date: June 26, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 26 NATL, No. 3 TE and No. 1 player from Kansas

On the day Premer committed to the Irish, national reporters and Kansas State insiders projected him to land with the Wildcats, but he surprised the country by committing to Notre Dame instead. Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and tight ends assistant Harris Bivin offered a few tight end prospects, including Premer on Feb. 1. Premer's first trip to South Bend took place on March 21, and visit No. 2 was for his official visit June 17-19. The Irish staff went into a frenzy when he called a week after his OV concluded to commit. The elite talent hauled in 30 passes for 541 yards with 8 touchdowns as a junior in 2024, plus 27 carries for 260 yards with 2 scores.

Height: 6-7

Weight: 270

Commitment date: June 24, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 30 OT and No. 3 player from Connecticut

Thom was originally a class of 2025 tight end but enrolled at a post-grad prep school and switched positions, which was a brilliant decision. As an offensive tackle, he earned offers from Notre Dame, Michigan State, Nebraska, Stanford, Syracuse, Penn State and Virginia Tech. He's been clocked at 5.06 in the 40-yard dash and posted a 9-foot, 3-inch broad jump. Thom's mother, Allison, is a Notre Dame graduate. He's a three-star prospect but has an incredibly high ceiling.

Height: 6-4

Weight: 215

Commitment date: June 23, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 296 NATL, 14 TE and No. 16 player from Ohio

Notre Dame was a late offer for Fryzel, as he received his scholarship offer on May 21 after general manager Mike Martin visited one of Fryzel's baseball practices. Fryzel also visited Miami in June and liked Iowa, but Notre Dame was always going to be very difficult to beat for him. Fryzel announced his decision about a week after concluding his official visit to South Bend, a trip that proved pivotal in his recruitment. Fryzel recorded 43 receptions for 807 yards (18.8 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns during his 16-game junior season

Height: 6-4

Weight: 180

Commitment date: June 20, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 47 NATL, No. 3 S and No. 3 player from Pennsylvania

Notre Dame was the third school to offer O'Brien back in March of 2024 for its Pot of Gold Day. Only Duke and Toledo offered the elite two-way athlete before the Irish did. Notre Dame worked hard to beat out the likes of Clemson, Michigan, Penn State and Oregon for O'Brien, and the efforts paid off. He could legitimately play wide receiver, cornerback or safety at a high level for the Fighting Irish but will likely start out at corner. It doesn't get any bigger than landing a talent like O'Brien.

Last season, the Philadelphia Catholic League named O'Brien MVP for his two-way dominance. In 11 games, he recorded 36 tackles, 13 pass breakups and 1 interception, also earning second-team defense All-America honors from MaxPreps. On offense, he excelled with 68 catches for 1,029 yards and 12 touchdowns. Athleticism runs in the O'Brien family. Taylor O'Brien played women's basketball at Bucknell and later as a graduate transfer at Florida State. His other sister, Jordan O'Brien, competed in track and field at Saint Joseph's University and Florida Atlantic.

Height: 6-1

Weight: 180

Commitment date: June 20, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 34 NATL, No. 4 CB and No. 3 player from Maryland

For as good as Notre Dame cornerback recruiting has been under Mike Mickens the past five years, the Irish haven't landed a cornerback with the profile of Adams as a top-30 recruit. The Irish beat out Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and a long list of other programs for the impressive talent.

Adams was a two-way player for Loyola Blakefield as a junior last season. In 11 games, he posted 43 tackles, 2 stops for loss and 3 interceptions while adding 34 catches for 562 yards (16.5 yards per catch) and 6 touchdowns for the Dons. As a sophomore, Adams primarily played defense, recording 24 tackles in 7 games.

In the offseason, Adams competes in track and field. His PR in the outdoor 100-meter dash is 10.7 seconds, showcasing his elite speed. He also has a 6.45 PR in the 55-meter and a 6.95 PR in the 60-meter indoor. Adams also has plenty of experience competing in the 200-meter (21.5 seconds PR), 300-meter (35.14 seconds PR) and 400-meter (50.18 seconds) yard dash.

Height: 6-7

Weight: 280

Commitment date: June 18, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 13 NATL, No. 4 OT and No. 1 player from Pennsylvania

It was a tightly contested battle between Notre Dame and Penn State for the impressive, high-upside pass blocker. The Irish went into the Nittany Lions' backyard and beat out James Franklin for another top prospect, despite Notre Dame offering him several months later. Texas, Ohio State, Alabama and Tennessee were among the other schools that offered him a scholarship.

McKeogh played primarily at left tackle for the La Salle College Explorers, who finished 10-1 last season before losing in the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship. Initially recruited as a defensive lineman, McKeogh recorded at least 20 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks during his sophomore year. Last season, he contributed on defense with 4 tackles and an interception while thriving on the offensive line. Off the field, McKeogh boasts a 4.14 GPA and is a member of La Salle's varsity basketball team.

Height: 5-9

Weight: 190

Commitment date: May 14, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 119 NATL, No. 6 RB and No. 15 player from Georgia

Notre Dame offered Walton as part of its Pot of Gold Day last March, and then-Irish running backs coach Deland McCullough made the 5-9, 190-pounder a major priority. Walton visited South Bend for the first time in January 2025 and loved the trip. Even after Deland McCullough left for the NFL, Walton's interest in the Irish remained high, and he already had a relationship with new running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider.

He had all the big-time offers in the South -- Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Texas -- you name it. He even had scholarships from the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, USC and many others.

Walton had a tremendous junior season, rushing for 1,387 yards with 14 touchdowns on just 188 carries, while adding 39 receptions for 646 yards and 4 scores. He rushed for well over 1,000 yards as a freshman and sophomore as well. Through his first three seasons of high school ball, he's logged 567 carries for 4,714 yards with 56 rushing scores, plus 66 receptions for 953 yards and 7 receiving touchdowns. His three kickoff return touchdowns bring his career scoring total to 66.

Height: 6-2.5

Weight: 300

Commitment date: May 10, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 94 DL and No. 133 player from Texas

It went down to the wire in Hola's recruitment, as he considered Notre Dame and SMU, but the efforts of defensive line coach Al Washington and Co. paid off -- finally landing their longtime target. Hola also held offers from the likes of Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia, Oregon, Miami, Tennessee, Michigan, Nebraska, USC and many others.

During a tremendous junior season, Hola posted 102 tackles (10 for loss), 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 9 quarterback hurries in 12 games. He was named to the Texas Sports Writers Association 2024 Class 5A first-team all-state defense. He was also on the Padilla Poll Coaches 2024 5A DII all-state second-team defense. Hola was the 2024 Texas District 11-5A defensive MVP.

Height: 5-9

Weight: 195

Commitment date: May 3, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 138 NATL, No. 10 RB and No. 18 player from Texas

Osborne earned his offer from Notre Dame in March 2024 but didn't visit campus until March 2025 -- a trip that blew him away and made the Irish the leading contender in his recruitment. The four-star prospect returned to campus the next month and informed the staff of his decision to commit during that trip. Osborne picked Notre Dame over Michigan and also held scholarship offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and many others.

Osborne had a strong junior season, rushing for 1,085 yards with 21 touchdowns on 156 carries, while adding three receiving scores. His sophomore season was simply incredible, carrying the rock 290 times for 2,231 yards with 39 overall touchdowns to help lead Forney to a state semifinal appearance in the Texas 5A D1 Conference.

Height: 6-2

Weight: 195

Commitment date: May 2, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 32 LB and No. 20 player from Ohio

Clapper kept his recruitment close to his vest, but his decision to commit to Notre Dame wasn't a surprise, although the May announcement came out of the blue. The Irish staff offered him last March for its Pot of Gold Day recruiting initiative, and hosted him both that spring and again for the Louisville game. Clapper returned to South Bend in January for Notre Dame's junior day event and again March 28 to watch practice with his high school teammate, Gordy Sulfsted, who signed with the Irish as part of Notre Dame's 2025 class.

During his 14-game junior season in which he helped lead St. Xavier to the Ohio Region 4 state championship game, Clapper posted 105 tackles (11.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 pass breakups.

Height: 6-2.5

Weight: 165

Commitment date: Jan. 30, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 151 NATL, No. 12 S and No. 20 player from Florida

The Irish bested Florida, LSU, Michigan and others for the impressive defensive back who could play cornerback or safety at the next level. The four-star prospect added Notre Dame to his scholarship chart last September, and the Irish made his top-10 schools list that he announced in January, but Pouncey hadn't made a trip to South Bend yet. His first visit took place at the end of March, and that trip went so well that Notre Dame emerged as the leader in his recruitment. The 6-2.5, 165-pounder returned to Notre Dame April 23, and the second visit within a month was a very encouraging sign that a commitment could be coming. Pouncey informed the Notre Dame staff of his decision while in South Bend and announced it April 26.

On the field, Pouncey has gotten it done on both sides of the ball. During his junior season in 2024, he posted 20 tackles, 3 pass break ups and 2 interceptions, while posting 12 receptions for 202 yards with 4 touchdowns. He was named to the All-Metro first-team for his efforts last year.

Height: 5-10

Weight: 165

Commitment date: April 14, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 232 NATL, No. 38 WR and No. 30 player from Georgia

It only took one visit to Notre Dame for the blazing-fast wide receiver from the Peach State to know that he wanted to call South Bend home for his collegiate football career. A couple days after visiting campus in early April, he informed the Irish staff of his decision and announced his pledge a week and a half later. Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, UCF and Wisconsin were among the other schools that dished out scholarships to Frazier, but it all clicked for him on the Notre Dame visit.

He had a standout performance at the Under Armour Next camp series stop in Georgia Feb. 9, which led to him adding new offers from Notre Dame, Wake Forest and North Carolina. Frazier ran a blazing-fast 4.43 laser-timed 40-yard dash at the event. For context, only 16 wide receivers ran better 40 times in the 2025 NFL Combine. Frazier was named the Georgia Region 1-AAAA athlete of the year as a junior in 2024. Frazier, who projects as a slot receiver in college, caught 46 passes for 753 yards (16.4 yards per catch) and 5 touchdowns in 12 games last fall.

Height: 6-4.5

Weight: 280

Commitment date: April 13, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 177 NATL, No. 10 IOL and No. 1 player from Michigan

Notre Dame beat up on Michigan for the four-star prospect with Penn State and Michigan State also being major contenders for the versatile lineman. Patrick could play guard or tackle at the next level with the feeling that he's more likely to start out blocking on the edge. The Irish staff offered him a scholarship in March 2024 and hosted him seven times during his recruiting process.

Patrick was a Michigan first-team all-state performer according to the Michigan Writers Association.

Height: 6-4

Weight: 225

Commitment date: Jan. 30, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 6 NATL, No. 3 EDGE and No. 1 player from North Carolina

Dunham visited Notre Dame last spring, shortly after receiving his scholarship offer from the Irish on Pot of Gold Day. Though he didn't return to South Bend until 11 months later, it did not take Notre Dame long to recapture its early momentum. He was in town March 21 for a trip that went incredibly well and directly led to his commitment. He picked the Fighting Irish over finalists Duke, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. The likes of Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon were also on his long scholarship sheet.

During his junior campaign in 2024, Dunham posted 39 tackles, including 10 stops for loss, 5 sacks, 16 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble and fumble recovery. He had a strong season in 2023 too, recording 54 stops (16 for loss), 6 sacks, 20 quarterback hurries, 3 interceptions, 3 passes batted down and a field goal block.

Height: 6-4

Weight: 220

Commitment date: April 5, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 20 NATL, No. 6 EDGE and No. 3 player from North Carolina

This was a monster recruiting win for the Irish, as the Irish beat out Alabama, Georgia, Florida State and N.C. State and many others. Notre Dame offered the talented prospect during its junior day event at the end of January, and Ewetade nearly committed on the spot. It was during his return visit April 5 that he informed all the Irish staff of his decision to pick Notre Dame.

Ewetade's junior season was tremendous, as he totaled 82 tackles (28 for loss), 10 sacks, 27 quarterback hurries, 1 pass deflection and 4 forced fumbles in just nine games. His sophomore season wasn't shabby either, notching 24 stops (8 for loss), 5 sacks and 1 forced fumble across seven contests. Ebenezer was named to the GNRC all-conference team for his efforts in 2024 and was a team captain. On the track, he has a personal best of 22.5 seconds in the 200-meter race.

Height: 6-5

Weight: 330

Commitment date: Jan. 30, 2025

Rivals Ranking: No. 31 IOL and No. 14 player from Pennsylvania

Notre Dame got its third offensive line pledge in the 2026 cycle when Merrill announced his pledge in late January despite visiting Penn State twice as many times (10 to 5). Blue & Gold always considered Merrill an Irish lean, and he privately committed to the ND staff Jan. 25 during his junior day visit. He held other scholarship offers from the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and Texas A&M. Merrill cited the people within the Notre Dame football program as a key decision in his commitment.

Merrill was named to the 2024 PAFootballnews.com Coaches Select Class 6A All-State first-team offense and PennLive's 2024 All-Star High School Football Team.

Height: 6-5

Weight: 315

Commitment date: Dec. 24, 2024

Rivals Ranking: No. 283 NATL, No. 22 IOL and No. 5 player from Michigan

Notre Dame's second offensive line pledge in the 2026 class came from a strong, massive prospect who projects on the interior for the Fighting Irish. Nichols announced his pledge to the Fighting Irish over Wisconsin, Tennessee and Penn State. The likes of Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State and Iowa were also on his offer sheet. The Irish offered him back on March 17, 2024 for Pot of Gold day and prioritized the four-star prospect the entire way.

The Michigan High School Football Coaches Association (MHSFCA) named him to its Division 1 first team in 2024. He was also first-team All-Region in Division 1, Region 2. MLive named him to its first team, Flint-Area Dream Team.

Height: 6-6

Weight: 300

Commitment date: Dec. 5, 2024

Rivals Ranking: No. 48 IOL and No. 10 player from Michigan

Garvin was the first offensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting cycle to select the Irish. Garvin's public commitment came 18 days after he visited campus for the Irish's victory over Virginia Nov. 2024, and he gave the Notre Dame staff indication it wouldn't be long before they'd received his pledge. Indiana, Washington, Kansas, Purdue and Cincinnati were among the other schools that offered him a scholarship.

Garvin is coming off a junior season where he earned first-team Southwestern Athletic Conference honors. The year before, he captured a spot on the honorable mention list. Garvin claimed a spot on the Michigan Division 5, Region 1 all-region team in 2024. He was also a team MVP, team captain and did not surrender any sacks.

Height: 6-1

Weight: 170

Commitment date: Dec. 1, 2024

Rivals Ranking: No. 134 NATL, No. 18 CB and No. 6 player from Tennessee

Heading into his decision date, the feeling from national sources was that he was choosing between Clemson and Texas A&M, so his selection of Notre Dame was a very welcomed surprise. Smith only visited South Bend once, and it was to see the Fighting Irish dismantle Florida State Nov. 2024. Other programs that offered Smith included Ole Miss, Tennessee, Michigan, Oregon, Auburn, Alabama, Southern Cal, Penn State, LSU, Florida, Wisconsin and Missouri.

Smith only played in four games as a junior before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. In those outings, he compiled 5 solo tackles, 2 pass breakups and 1 interception. Smith's older brother, Penny, trains him. He played his collegiate football at Jacksonville State after transferring from UT-Chattanooga.

Height: 6-2

Weight: 210

Commitment date: Nov. 12, 2024

Rivals Ranking: No. 37 LB and No. 22 player from North Carolina

Notre Dame has been rolling in the past couple years landing commitments from the sons of former NFL athletes, and Davis Jr. adds to that in the 2026 cycle. Notre Dame badly wanted the talented prospect in its class and was thrilled to add him shortly after he visited for the Florida State game Nov. 2024. Oregon, USC, Ohio State, Clemson, Michigan and Penn State are among the schools on Davis' long offer list.

He is the son of former NFL linebacker Thomas Davis Sr. The elder Davis played for Georgia before playing 16 years in the NFL for the Panthers, Chargers and Washington Football Team. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro in 2015.

Height: 6-4.5

Weight: 195

Commitment date: June 1, 2024

Rivals Ranking: No. 26 QB and No. 45 player from Florida

Notre Dame locked in an early quarterback commitment from a top target at the position in the 2026 class. And when Grubbs eventually enrolls at Notre Dame, he'll do so as one of the most productive quarterbacks in the history of Florida high school football. Grubbs committed to the Irish before his junior season over the likes of Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State and a handful of others.

During his sophomore season in which he helped Lake Mary to a 10-2 record in 2023, Grubbs completed 208 passes on 354 attempts for 3,670 yards with 49 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He added four rushing scores as well. The Orlando Touchdown Club and the Orlando Sentinel named him its 2023 Offensive Player of the Year.

Grubbs set the following Lake Mary school records in 2023: single-game passing touchdowns (8), single-game passing yardage (528), single-season passing touchdowns (49), single-season passing yards (3,677), most passes completed in a single game (31), single-season completions (207) and attempts (356) and is the school's all-time leader in average yards per game (306.4).

In his 15-game junior season in 2024, Grubbs completed 205 of 355 pass attempts for 3,024 passing yards, 37 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He added 33 carries for 146 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns.

Height: 5-11

Weight: 170

Commitment date: March 18, 2024

Rivals Ranking: No. 162 WR and No. 112 player from Florida

Faison locked in his Notre Dame commitment a day after earning a scholarship offer from the Fighting Irish, which took place on Pot of Gold for the 2026 class. His older brother is Jordan Faison, a receiver for ND and star on the men's lacrosse team. Dylan will also play football and lacrosse for the Fighting Irish. He's considered a five-star lacrosse recruit and had a strong junior season on the gridiron, hauling in 59 receptions for 809 yards with 9 touchdowns, plus 29 rushes for 96 yards with 2 scores on the ground.