With the high school all-star circuit over, On3 has its final update on the 2026 class rankings, with multiple Notre Dame signees rated as five-star recruits.
They listed 32 players, and the Irish had quite a few starters, including tight end Ian Premer at No. 27. One of their national scouts, Cody Bellaire, analyzed his game and said, “He (Premo) is one of the top offensive prospects in the country.”
advertise
Next up is safety Joey O’Brien, who ranks 25th overall. This time it was Charles Power who did the evaluation, saying “He (O’Brien) needs to add mass and strength. Playmaking ability and instincts make him one of the top safeties in the deep rotation at the position.” The good news is that O’Brien was an early addition and had plenty of time to add weight before the season started.
Cary Adams, who was hired on the same day as O’Brien, ranked just above his teammate at No. 23. Ball once again analyzed his game, saying he “needs to continue to hone the technical aspects of his game, but has a lot of upside as an outside corner.” With Mike Mickens’ recent departure to the Baltimore Ravens, who will teach him this skill is a big question.
At No. 8 in the top ten, fringe signee Rodney Dunham will enter the program with extremely high expectations. He’s a great fit for the program, and Ball agreed, noting that Dunham is an “athletic pass rusher with high upside in his skill set and functional motor skills.”
Ahead of him is offensive tackle Grayson Macchio, who finished seventh overall. He’s one of my favorite signees and could be the next freshman to make a mark on the offensive line. Ball once again analyzed his game, calling Macchio “one of the highest ceilings among 2026 offensive tackle prospects and the potential to be an early pick in the NFL Draft.”
advertise
Macchio is the last Notre Dame player to make the five-star roster, giving the Irish a total of five players in the 2026 class. This looks to be the best class that head coach Marcus Freeman has signed during his tenure in South Bend and should help the Irish remain among the top teams in the country.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page Facebook Follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.
Follow Mike on X: @MikeFchen
This article originally appeared in “Fighting Irish Wire”: On3 updates 26 player rankings, how many 5-star players has Notre Dame signed?