Notre Dame football lands No. 4 tight end Ian Premer in 2026 class

One of the top receiving targets in the 2026 college football recruiting class has made his commitment, and it’s a big gain for Marcus Freeman.

Ian Premer, a top-five ranked tight end in the 2026 cycle, has committed to Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound player from Great Bend, Kansas, chose the Fighting Irish over finalists Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, and others.

Premer is considered the No. 1 overall player from Kansas and the No. 4 ranked tight end in the country, according to an average of the four national recruiting services.

That consensus names Premer the No. 42 overall player in the nation, regardless of position.

Premer’s pledge gives Notre Dame a total of 22 commitments, including six this week, in a recruiting class ranked No. 2 in the nation by the 247Sports Composite.

Premer took an official visit to the Fighting Irish on June 20.

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and tight ends assistant Harris Bivin offered Premer, among other prospects, on Feb. 1. His first visit came on March 21.

Denbrock is also listed as tight ends coach on the Notre Dame football website, and Bivin is charged with handling much of its recruiting at the position.

Premer spoke highly of both Denbrock and Bivin during his recruiting process, and was intrigued by Denbrock holding positions both in charge of the offense as a whole, and at the position in particular.

Last season, the tight end had 30 receptions for 541 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games, adding 260 rushing yards off 37 carries and another two scores.

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