Notre Dame Commits Move Up In Latest ESPN Recruiting Rankings

Notre Dame is putting together an elite 2026 recruiting class that ranks among the nation's best. That is reflected by all the recruiting services, including ESPN. ESPN ranks the Notre Dame class as the No. 3 class in the country, and 14 of Notre Dames' 21 commits ranked inside the latest ESPN300 rankings.

There is a new highest ranked Notre Dame commit in the ESPN rankings, as cornerback Khary Adams jumped up 39 spots and is now ranked as the No. 29 overall player in the country. Adams is also now the No. 2 ranked cornerback in the entire nation.

Next up on the list is North Carolina defensive end Rodney Dunham, who ranks No. 57 overall in the ESPN rankings. Dunham is ranked as the No. 6 overall defensive end. Fellow North Carolina edge Ebenezer Ewetade ranks as the No. 237 overall player in the country. Notre Dame's other committed defensive lineman - Texas standout Tiki Hola - ranks as the No. 151 overall player. The Irish are trying to finish the class off with defensive tackle Elijah Golden, who is ranked as the No. 85 overall player in the nation. 

Join the Notre Dame Champions Lounge for the latest intel and analysis of the Fighting Irish!

Pennsylvania offensive lineman Tyler Merrill is the No. 67 overall player in the country. Fellow offensive lineman Ben Nichols was another big mover in the ESPN rankings, with the Michigan big man moving up 92 spots in the rankings. Nichols now ranks as the nation's No. 195 overall player. Nichols is ranked as the No. 5 guard in the land. Another Michigan lineman, Gregory Patrick, ranks as the No. 221 overall player in the ESPN rankings.

Texas running back Javian Osborne rounds out the group of four Notre Dame commits that rank in the Top 100 by ESPN. Fellow running back Jonaz Walton ranked as the No. 140 overall player in the country. 

Adams wasn't the only secondary commit to rank in the ESPN300. Safety Joey O'Brien ranked as the nation's No. 103 overall player by ESPN, although that ranking is still way too low for a player that should be a consensus Top 50 recruit. Florida cornerback Ayden Pouncey is also in the ESPN300, checking in as the No. 167 overall player, giving the Irish three secondary commits in the 2026 class. Tennessee cornerback Chaston Smith being ranked as a three-star by ESPN might be the biggest oversight on the list.

North Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. is ranked as the No. 147 overall player in the country. Georgia wide receiver Bubba Frazier is ranked as the nation's No. 266 overall player while Florida quarterback Noah Grubbs checks in as the No. 162 overall player.