Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock talks to players at Notre Dame spring football practice Thursday, March 7, 2024, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend. GREG SWIERCZ / USA TODAY NETWORK

Recruiting: Notre Dame Lands Premier 2026 Tight End Commitment

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By Mason Plummer | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 11:18 AM ET

BOOM! Notre Dame Signed Another Star Recruit

Notre Dame has landed a commitment from 2026 tight end Preston Fryzel, out of Toledo, Ohio. The 6-4, 220-pounder chose the Fighting Irish over Miami, Iowa, Wisconsin, Auburn, and several others.

In the never-ending "Tight End U" conversations, the only three schools with a true claim for the title are Notre Dame, Iowa, and Miami, and offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Denbrock got a great young prospect to work with.

Rated as a three-star prospect, this may not immediately seem like a massive commitment for Notre Dame, but that is anything but the case here.

Fryzel's final three schools were the Fighting Irish, Hawkeyes, and Hurricanes - the three schools that produce the best tight ends in the country were doing everything in their power to land Fryzel's pledge.

NEWS: Class of 2026 TE Preston Fryzel is down to Notre Dame, Iowa, & Miami, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’4 220 TE from Toledo, OH will announce his Commitment on June 23rd

Where Should He Go? ⬇️https://t.co/W1KsQcYeda pic.twitter.com/gGhJTu0p3P
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 18, 2025

Expect Fryzel to fly up the recruiting rankings before and definitely during his senior season. He has the makings of an elite pass-catching tight end that Notre Dame has excelled with in its offense in the past.

When it came down to making his final decision between Notre Dame, Miami, and Iowa, the decision came down to Notre Dame feeling the most comfortable on and off the football field.

“Honestly, it just felt like home,” Fryzel told Blue & Gold before publicizing his commitment. “It was different from every other visit I’ve been on. Every other visit I’ve been on, there was always that, ‘They were good, but.’ There was no but for Notre Dame. It just felt right for me. It’s different.”

Fryzel marks yet another top-end talent for Notre Dame in the 2026 recruiting cycle, in addition to four-star OT Grayson McKeogh, four-star CB Khary Adams and five-star DB Joey O'Brien who all committed to Notre Dame last week.

HOME !!! ☘️☘️ https://t.co/GWPXZMMeCo
— Preston Fryzel (@prestonfryzel) June 23, 2025

Moving forward, expect the Fighting Irish to take one or even two more tight ends. Ian Premer is the main name to know here, and he's a real possibility to sign on. Evan Jacobson is also a top target for Notre Dame, but it is unclear if the Irish are willing to take three tight ends this cycle.

This article first appeared on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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