Who have been some of the biggest recruiting wins for Notre Dame
under head coach Marcus Freeman? They could impact championship hopes in 2026.
Notre Dame football
has put together an extremely talented team under the guidance of head coach Marcus Freeman
. A big reason for that is the impact we have seen on the recruiting trail, and the Fighting Irish are acquiring talent at a level we haven't seen in a very long time. They are bringing back a lot of talent, which has largely been added via the high school route.
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When you look back at the Freeman tenure, there has been a long list of massive recruiting victories. That includes several that could potentially put the Fighting Irish over the top to win a National Championship in 2026. For a little bit of fun, I also added some transfer portal fun this offseason.
Here are the biggest recruiting wins, and the impact they could have on the 2026 version of this Notre Dame team.
If Notre Dame is going to win a National Championship in 2026, it will most likely be because Carr went from an impressive redshirt freshman quarterback last season to an elite signal caller this Fall. Convincing the grandson of former Michigan
head coach Lloyd Carr to come to South Bend was an impressive feat, and former quarterbacks coach Tommy Reese
deserves a lot of credit for that. It's even more impressive when you consider that no other program was particularly close for the 6-2, 215-pound signal caller. After throwing for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, a lot is expected from Carr in 2026.
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The career of Jagusah has been a frustrating one so far. When he's been on the field for the Fighting Irish, the 6-7, 330-pound behemoth has been outstanding. The problem is that Jagusah has barely been available over the last three years due to multiple injuries. Considered to be a five-star player by some in the 2023 recruiting class, Notre Dame did a great job beating out Michigan for the talented offensive lineman. It's impossible to fully count on him going into 2026, but if Jagusah is able to play this season, this offensive line could go from a very good group to an elite one. Jagusah is that talented.
The ascension of Black this offseason could buoy the Notre Dame offensive line to an elite level in 2026. Not only is the 6-7, 316-pound left tackle extremely talented, but his presence also allows Anthonie Knapp
to shift inside to left guard, which should fit his skill set extremely well. Originally from Canada, Black ended up being a five-star target in the 2025 recruiting class. Notre Dame was able to beat out an impressive offer list that included Georgia, Alabama
, Michigan, Florida
, Penn State
, Tennessee
, and Texas A&M
, among others.
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It appeared all but wrapped up that Viliamu-Asa was going to select Ohio State
until very late in the process. Notre Dame was able to win out for the versatile 6-3, 230-pound linebacker, and since then, he has developed into one of the more dynamic linebackers in all of college football. When "KVA" is healthy and on the field, he can do a lot for a defense, including play both linebacker spots, rush the passer off the edge, and make impact plays all over the field. With Viliamu-Asa coming back from an ACL injury, it's uncertain when he'll be available this Fall. Whenever he is, there's a strong chance that he helps morph this defense into another elite unit.
2026 transfer portal class
There were two positions that Notre Dame needed to land via the transfer portal this offseason: wide receiver and defensive tackle.
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After a bit of a struggle during the first week of the portal, the Irish staff quickly recovered. That included landing two former Ohio State wide receivers in Quincy Porter
and Mylan Graham
. Porter brings impact size at 6-4 and 210 pounds, while Graham brings a much-needed injection of speed. Both players will be counted upon to make an impact in 2026.
Notre Dame was also able to land a pair of defensive tackles in Francis Brewu (Pitt)
and Tionne Gray (Oregon)
. The staff was also able to convince Armel Mukam
to return after initially entering the portal. In the blink of an eye, the defensive tackle room is the deepest it's been for the Irish in a very long time. It wouldn't be surprising to see both Brewu and Gray start for Notre Dame this season, and possibly together.
