Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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32 JANUARY 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2 0 2 6 E A R L Y S I G N I N G D A Y BY MIKE SINGER T he Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Ranking is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from the primary recruiting media services. It is the most advanced, complete and unbiased rating and ranking measure- ment in the industry. This ranking dates back to 2004, and in the 23 recruiting cycles between 2004 and 2026, Notre Dame has signed a top- five class just five times. One of those times is the current 2026 class; the Irish signed 27 prospects Dec. 3. The prior times were 2013 (No. 4 class), 2008 (No. 4), 2007 (No. 5) and 2006 (No. 4). Never in the history of this ranking had the Irish signed better than the No. 3 class. That is until the 2026 cycle. As of Dec. 5 at the end of the early signing period, Notre Dame had the No. 2 class in America, but the rank- ing will not be final until the end of the February signing period. College programs, including Notre Dame, could bring in additional play- ers. It won't be many, but some top re- cruits could wait until February to sign their letter of intent. There will still be rankings updates as evaluators look at senior season playoffs and postseason all-star games. But at the very least, Notre Dame is in prime position to sign its first top- five recruiting class since 2013, and if the Irish's No. 2 position holds, it would be Notre Dame's best class in the internet era. The Irish had never signed more than three Rivals Industry five-star pros- pects before the 2026 class. Notre Dame reeled in three (Aaron Lynch, Ishaq Wil- liams and Stephon Tuitt) in the 2011 class. On Dec. 3, the Irish broke that record with four: safety Joey O'Brien, cornerback Khary Adams, tight end Ian Premer and defensive lineman Rodney Dunham. While not a Rivals Industry five-star prospect, Rivals' own rankings list of- fensive tackle Grayson McKeogh as one. He is Rivals' No. 3 offensive tackle and No. 9 overall player in America. This cycle marks Marcus Freeman's fourth full recruiting class as Notre Dame's head coach. In 2023, the Irish signed the No. 10 class, and they fol- lowed with the No. 11 group in 2024. For the 2025 class, the slight downward trend continued with Notre Dame sign- ing the No. 12 group. Freeman was the defensive coordina- tor for the 2022 cycle before taking over as head coach in the final weeks leading up to National Signing Day. The Irish signed the No. 6 class that year. BACK TO BACK Mike Mickens received BlueandGold. com's Recruiter of the Year honor for his efforts in the 2025 class after Notre Dame signed six defensive backs, three of whom ranked in the 100-150 over- all player range. The other three were three-star recruits, according to the Ri- vals Industry Ranking. As good as that haul was for the sixth- year Irish defensive backs coach, it doesn't compare — on paper — to what he and the staff pulled off in the 2026 class. Of the five-man defensive back haul that signed with Notre Dame Dec. 3, two are five-star prospects. Two oth- ers are four-star prospects, and the Irish landed one versatile three-star to what is arguably the top defensive back group in the entire country. For his efforts, Mickens was tabbed as the Irish's Recruiter of the Year for the second straight year. He has been a crucial part in making Notre Dame's secondary go from a weakness to a big strength over the past few years. His development is a key part of that (espe- cially with getting young players ready to play as soon as possible), and the caliber of recruits he's getting to South Bend has been improving year over year. 2026 RIVALS INDUSTRY TEAM RECRUITING RANKINGS As of Dec. 9 Rk. School Commits 1. Southern Cal 35 2. Notre Dame 27 3. Oregon 21 4. Alabama 22 5. Georgia 30 6. Ohio State 27 7. Tennessee 28 8. Texas A&M 27 9. Miami 30 10. Texas 23 Notre Dame Is On Pace To Earn Its Highest Class Ranking In The Internet Era Khary Adams, the No. 1 cornerback in the nation in the Rivals Industry Rankings, is a key piece of Notre Dame's No. 2-ranked recruiting class. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS