Notre Dame's 2026 Recruiting Class Earns Top Three Ranking From ESPN

Fresh off Notre Dame’s first national title appearance in the College Football Playoff era (which began in 2014), the Fighting Irish are making it clear that last season was no anomaly. And the first step in building a perennial national title contender? Recruiting. 

And after putting together a solid Class of 2025 haul, the Fighting Irish put their foot on the gas and are in the midst of crafting one of the best recruiting classes in the country for 2026. 

In ESPN’s recruiting class rankings, Notre Dame landed at third in the nation. The Fighting Irish have 12 commits rated inside ESPN’s Top 300, and the class is headlined on the offensive end by 66th overall prospect and ninth-ranked offensive tackle Tyler Merrill, as well as the nation’s eighth-rated pocket-passing quarterback in Noah Grubbs. 

Defensively, Notre Dame has landed a loaded class, including three top-150 recruits in defensive end Rodney Dunham, outside linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. – son of NFL legend Thomas Davis – and defensive tackle Tiki Hola. 

Still, head coach Marcus Freeman and his staff aren’t done. On Tuesday, the Fighting Irish offered offensive tackle Charlie Thom, and have already lined up a visit with the three-star prospect, and received a prediction to land Thom from On3’s Mike Singer.