Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM PRESEASON 2025 61 BY MIKE SINGER It was a wild ride down the stretch in the recruitment of Great Bend (Kan.) High class of 2026 tight end Ian Premer. Kansas State had the buzz in the me- dia. Iowa State was right there. Notre Dame's contact with him was better than ever. It was anyone's guess as to where he'd end up. Premer was playing his cards close to his vest, but recruiting insiders were guessing Kansas State. They were wrong. Notre Dame got the call around 12 p.m. ET on June 26 that Premer, who is Rivals' No. 3 tight end and No. 26 overall player in America, would be committing to them. The Irish coaching staff went into a frenzy, end- ing a highly competitive recruitment. "It's definitely been a chaotic week," Premer told Blue & Gold Illustrated moments after announcing his deci- sion. "I've been talking things over with my parents, and we decided that Notre Dame is the spot for me." And why is Notre Dame the spot for Premer? "On the football side with their na- tional championship run last year, and this class so far is speaking for itself with how impressive it is," he answered. "Going forward, Notre Dame is going to continue to be really good. You combine the football side with the academics, and you realize the type of special place it is." Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, assistant tight ends coach Harris Bivin and senior analyst Trent Miles all played a key role in Pre- mer picking the Irish. "You have three guys with that stat- ure coaching the position, and there's not going to be any deficiencies," he said. "I'll be well coached, and it's a loaded room." Denbrock has the tight ends coach role officially — as well as the offensive coor- dinator title — but Bivin leads the day- to-day charge for the Irish recruiting the position. He did an outstanding job with Premer, who the Irish offered Feb. 1. "He's been great, and I've loved get- ting to know him," Premer added. "He really knows his stuff. He'll definitely help me on the blocking side of things as a tight end." Premer hauled in 30 passes for 541 yards with 8 touchdowns as a junior in 2024, and added 27 carries for 260 yards with 2 scores. "On the football field, I'm very di- verse and play a lot of positions on of- fense and play safety on defense," he said. "I'm a high-motor guy who never gets tired. I play both ways, so I have to be like that. I like to be explosive and strong with my game. "Off the field, I'm a normal 17-year- old high schooler. I like to hang out with my friends and family and play all types of sports. I play football, baseball and basketball for my high school and like to golf with my friends." Premer will sign with Notre Dame in December and enroll at the university next summer. He picked the Irish over Iowa, Kansas and Kansas State. Michi- gan, Miami, Oregon, Texas A&M, Flor- ida, Tennessee and many others offered him a scholarship. ✦ COMMITMENT PROFILE IAN PREMER Premer, who is the No. 3 tight end and No. 26 overall prospect in the country per Rivals, committed to Notre Dame over Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER/BLUEWHITEILLUSTRATED.COM FILM ANALYSIS "We've felt that Ian Premer is one of the top tight ends in the 2026 cycle for a while. Going through his junior season and getting a full picture of his athletic ability and wide range of skills, we came away thinking he was a top three tight end in the class. He's in the same tier as Mark Bowman and Kendre Harrison — two really high-profile recruits at the position. That tells you what we think about him overall. "His skill set and profile — it fits what we see from a lot of highly drafted tight end prospects. Premer is a fantastic athlete; he makes plays in every phase on Friday nights. You see him flash a large catch radius, and he has verified size and length. He's 6-5, 227 pounds with 33-inch arms. He stacks up very well from a frame and length perspective. You see him make high-level catches on offense and defense — he had three picks as a safety. "I love his athletic ability; he projects as a yards-after-catch tight end. His basketball film is fantastic. He's an above-the-rim player and very coordinated. The athletic profile, skills he shows on Friday nights, size, versatility — there's so much to like about him. "This is a huge get for Notre Dame. He's one of the top tight end prospects they've had committed in several cycles. Notre Dame recruits the position incredibly well, and he has the upside to carry on the tradition. Pairing him with Preston Fryzel makes for a great combination. Notre Dame really hit it out of the park with this tight end class." — Rivals director of scouting and rankings Charles Power Kansas Tight End Excited To Join 'Loaded' Irish Tight End Room "I'm a high-motor guy who never gets tired. I play both ways, so I have to be like that." PREMER