Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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68 MARCH 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2026 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY KYLE KELLY J oey O'Brien's demeanor suggested comfort and ease. The reason why was hardly a surprise. When O'Brien sat down inside one of the Orlando World Center Marriott conference rooms for Under Armour All-America Game media day that Dec. 30 afternoon, most of the ques- tions that had followed him for months had already been answered. His recruitment? Over. State cham- pionship? Won. Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year? Secured. What re- mained was explaining how he reached such a rare state of calm. It stemmed, in part, from a decision he made six months earlier. Sometimes for better and other t i m e s fo r wo rs e , e m o t i o n d r ive s O'Brien. That trait surfaced repeat- edly throughout his college football recruitment, a process that tested his patience, loyalty and instincts. Rated by Rivals as a five-star safety and the top prospect at his position in the 2026 class, O'Brien was coveted na- tionwide. In total, 25 Power Four pro- grams offered Rivals' No. 3 recruit in Pennsylvania and No. 25 overall player nationally, including Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Miami and Michigan. Before the Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College product verbally committed to Notre Dame June 20, he gave serious consideration to Penn State, Clemson, Oregon and the Irish — often to Notre Dame's discomfort. After nearly every official visit, O'Brien had a new per- ceived leader. "After every school I went to, that was my new favorite," O'Brien told Blue & Gold Illustrated. Oregon, in particular, surged late and nearly prevented Notre Dame from get- ting the final visit — and ultimately, his commitment. "I was set on Oregon after my of- ficial visit there," O'Brien told Blue & Gold Illustrated recruiting insider Mike Singer in a separate July interview. "I was thinking, 'Notre Dame has been there since the beginning. Let me be respectful, give them their visit and I'll go to Oregon after.' "Literally, the first night on my Notre Dame OV, it all changed." O'Brien's relationships with the Irish coaching staff and fellow com- mits ultimately drove his June 20 an- nouncement. That same loyalty helped keep him steady throughout his senior season. He admitted to being tempted to at- tend Penn State's "White Out" game against Oregon Sept. 27. Both programs had been finalists for his pledge and missing a marquee matchup less than 200 miles from home was not easy. Still, he stayed away. The same went for repeated invitations to return to Oregon. "I was going to, but then I was like, 'No, I'm committed. Don't even go,'" O'Brien said. "They wanted me to come out a couple of times, but I said I couldn't … I'm committed. I just wanted to respect that." With Penn State and Clemson emerg- ing as favorites at different points, O'Brien acknowledged he considered both. As the season unfolded, though, clarity followed. "It was kind of just how the sea- son played out," O'Brien said. "Coach [James] Franklin got dismissed from Penn State, and I was like, 'All right, Penn State's out of it.' And then Clem- son, they didn't do as good as I thought they would, and they didn't do what they said they were going to do on de- fense, too. That ruled them out." Rather than letting his mind wander, O'Brien locked into his senior year. He was determined to deliver a state cham- pionship to La Salle after falling short Joey O'Brien Found Calm At The Finish O'Brien was arguably one of the best two-way players in the country for a Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle team that won a state championship in 2025. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS "Literally, the first night on my Notre Dame OV, it all changed." O'BRIEN