Linebacker Kenneth Goodwin Is Excited To Check Out Notre Dame

Notre Dame is set to host 2026 Nevada linebacker Kenneth Goodwin for an important first visit

The Pot of Gold offer event provided Notre Dame with some outstanding early 2026 recruiting buzz a few weeks ago. That momentum has continued with several of those players already setting up trips to South Bend, including Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Pines linebacker Kenneth Goodwin who will be heading to campus on Wednesday. 

 

This trip is a big one for Goodwin, who is on Midwest swing and is checking out Ohio State on Monday. So far the Irish staff has really been impressing the Las Vegas standout, exciting to check the staff and players in action this week. 

 

“My relationship with Notre Dame has been great,” Goodwin told Irish Breakdown. “I speak with Coach (Max) Bullough every week. They have a winning tradition and develop athletes to be the best player and person they can possibly be.

 

“I’m most excited to see how they practice and prepare in the offseason,” he continued. “My overall expectations are very high for this trip.”

 

During the visit to the Buckeyes, Goodwin officially received an offer from the program. He is a talented defender that appears poised to really blow up on the recruiting trail. Luckily for Notre Dame, they seem to have gotten in pretty early. 

 

“Recruiting has been pretty busy,” he explained. “I have been going on multiple visits, and I have three more after Notre dame. The schools that have been standing out for me have been Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Alabama so far. Many others have also been doing a great job.”

 

Getting players interested in Notre Dame is step one. Getting them to campus then becomes the priority. The Irish staff has managed to get Goodwin to campus very quickly, and have a chance to really capture his interest on Wednesday. 

 

Goodwin is currently ranked as a four-star recruit on the Rivals ranking. They currently have him pegged as the No. 153 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. On the On3 Industry ranking, Goodwin comes in as the No. 205 overall player, No. 16 linebacker and No. 3 player in the state of Nevada.

 

The 6-1, 205-pound linebacker has been hearing from some very impressive programs. Some of his top offer so far include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Washington, Boston College and SMU among others. 

During eight games as a junior, Goodwin racked up 40 total tackles for Desert Pines. He also had six sacks, showcasing his talents as a blitzer.

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