Notre Dame Recruiting: What’s Next for the 2025 and 2026 Classes?

Notre Dame should be expecting good news on the trail very soon.

Oct 12, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman walks to Notre Dame Stadium before the game against the Stanford Cardinal. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

As the 2025 class begins to wind down and the 2026 class starts to really get moving, this is an exciting time of year for Notre Dame fans. From about now through the new year, recruiting news will be flying in on both classes and hopefully that means a handful of commitments for the Fighting Irish.

As it stands now, Notre Dame has the No. 13 ranked class according to 247Sports in 2025. There are some big-time targets still in play down the stretch, with decisions looming seemingly any week now.

It is typical in recruiting for dominoes to fall and things to happen quickly, as we just saw with Deuce Knight flipping from Notre Dame to Auburn, and subsequently Blake Hebert flipping from Clemson to Notre Dame.

Expect there to be a handful more flip opportunities over the next 5-6 weeks, on top of the uncommitted prospects Notre Dame has been in on. In terms of flips, LSU commit, wide receiver Derek Meadows and Michigan commit, tight end Andrew Olesh are at the top of the list.

Both are expected to visit South Bend in the coming weeks and anyone who follows Fighting Irish recruiting tightly knows that getting recruits onto campus is Notre Dame's biggest and greatest weapon.

If those visits go well then watch out.

Where’s Home?? Commitment Date Coming Soon https://t.co/LH5OITk5eB

— Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (@_nob11) September 16, 2024

As for what remains with uncommitted prospects for Notre Dame in 2025, linebackers Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Madden Faraimo top the list. Expect more targets to emerge at various positions here but Notre Dame is nearly full at 23 committed recruits in this cycle.

It will only be going after big-time prospects, which is super exciting. Names will emerge soon, specifically at receiver and running back. Stay tuned for that.

As for the 2026 cycle, Notre Dame only holds two current commitments. Quarterback Noah Grubbs and wide receiver Dylan Faison, the brother of current Irish football and lacrosse player Jordan Faison, are the only prospects locked in with the Fighting Irish.

Names to watch moving forward are: WR Connor Salmin, OL Sullivan Garvin, DL Elijah Golden and SAF Blaine Bradford.

This entire group are top of the board targets for Notre Dame and could be ones to watch if the Irish staff turns up the heat.

More From Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated

How Does Notre Dame's Playoff Case Compare to Unbeaten Indiana?

Notre Dame Soars into ESPN FPI's Top Five Following Rout of Navy

Did We Already See Marcus Freeman's Most Impressive Accomplishment at Notre Dame?