Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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2026 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY KYLE KELLY N otre Dame did not stop at four. In the 2026 recruiting cycle, the Irish assembled arguably the nation's best defensive back haul. The commitment list features a quartet of elite players. Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College safety Joey O'Brien and Towson (Md.) Loyola Blakefield cornerback Khary Adams are both five-star recruits and Rivals' Nos. 1 and 3 players at their re- spective positions and Nos. 25 and 23 overall prospects in the class. W i n t e r P a r k (Fla.) High's Ayden P o u n c e y i s n o t far behind as the No. 4 cornerback and No. 34 overall recruit nationally. Knoxville (Tenn.) C a t h o l i c 's C h a z Smith is also highly re ga rd e d a s t h e No. 25 cornerback and No. 184 over- all prospect in the country. Entering the pro- gram's biggest of- ficial visit weekend of the Marcus Freeman era June 13, the Irish had already secured pledges from Pouncey and Smith. By June 21, they had added Adams and O'Brien to the fold. Still, Notre Dame chose to put the full-court press on Rivals' No. 58 safety in the country ahead of his July 11 com- mitment date: Charlotte (N.C.) Inde- pendence three-star Nick Reddish. From the outside looking in, the deci- sion seemed surprising. For Notre Dame and Independence High School coach Darryl McFadden Jr., it was a no-brainer for the Irish to pursue Reddish to com- plete the class. "Nick's a star," McFadden told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "Nick has played ev- erywhere for us. He has played corner, rover, deep safety. He's physical. He's rangy. He can cover up a lot of space. He has a knack for the ball. He's going to get his hands on the football, whether it's a strip fumble or an interception. He's smart. He's a communicator back there. He's a leader. "If I had to put a label on Nick, I would say Swiss-Army knife. He can do a lot of different things out there. Nick's a do-it-all guy." R iva l s ' No. 3 0 p l a ye r i n N o r t h Carolina proved as much during his se- nior season. A f t e r m i s s i n g most of his junior year due to injury, Reddish returned to the lineup and made his presence felt. He racked up 92 tackles (60 solo), 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 4 passes broken up, 2 inter- ceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fum- ble recoveries in 13 games. He showed all the makings of a future Notre Dame nickel — the position McFadden projects Red- dish to play in Chris Ash's defense. "I think he'd be more in that nickel spot," McFadden said. "He can cover well, but he's also a guy you want in the run fit right now. We've seen Nick take on pulling blockers. He's physical enough to do it." Even after securing four defensive backs, Notre Dame's push for Reddish reflected more than roster math. His impact on and off the field made him a priority. "Nick's a great kid," McFadden said. "Ever since he's been here, he's had a 3.8, 3.9 GPA. He causes no trouble. Notre Dame's getting a great young man." ✦ Nick Reddish Brings Versatility To Notre Dame's Outstanding DB Class Reddish — who saw action at corner, rover and deep safety at Charlotte (N.C.) Independence — notched 92 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 4 passes broken up and 2 interceptions during his senior campaign. PHOTO BY KYLE KELLY NICK REDDISH SAFETY 5-10 · 184 INDEPENDENCE H.S. CHARLOTTE, N.C. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE Industry ✪✪✪ 736 60 28 ✪✪✪ — 58 30 ✪✪✪ — 81 31 ✪✪✪ — 69 36 STATISTICS • Posted 91 stops, 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 4 passes broken up, 2 fumble re- coveries and 2 forced fumbles as a senior in 2025. • Suffered a broken fibula during the second game of his junior season. • Totaled 95 tackles (3 for loss), 4 interceptions, 10 passes broken up, 4 fumble recoveries and 2 forced fumbles as a sophomore in 2023. NOTABLE • Was a Charlotte Observer All-Observer team selection in 2025. • Earned Meck Power 6 and Southwestern 4A all-conference accolades in 2023. • Also played baseball, seeing action as an out- fielder and left-handed pitcher. • He has two brothers who play college foot- ball. Joseph Reddish is at Appalachian State, while Quentin Reddish plays for Virginia Tech. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on July 11, 2025. • Enrolled at Notre Dame in January. • Picked the Irish over Indiana, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin. • Recruited by former Irish defensive backs coach Mike Mickens. • Visited Notre Dame six times, including his of- ficial visit on June 13, 2025. 2026 PROJECTION • Reddish is likely to redshirt as a true freshman. THEY SAID IT Head coach Marcus Freeman: "Nick Reddish to me is a little bit of a Swiss-Army knife. They have him playing sometimes backer and safety and blitz- ing and playing in coverage. "He has a lot of skill sets, and we'll figure out what's best for him." General manager Mike Martin: "He may not have the size, but Nick plays probably twice as big as he is. And he's a physical, violent player on the football field, and fits this place." National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming: "He's a solid safety. He may not have the upside of some of the ones they have already, but he's a really good player. They're loading up in the defensive backfield. It's good to have an abundance. He's a solid three-star plus, maybe a four-star type of player. I've known him since his freshman year. "Reddish shows excellent ball skills and great footwork, always finds a way to make a play, fills the alley and shows great range." 74 MARCH 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED