Marcus Freeman's elite 2026 recruiting class is a reminder Notre Dame's pain is merely temporary

Last Wednesday has to feel more like a year ago in Notre Dame’s world. 

Before the Irish were shockingly left out of the College Football Playoff, declined an invitation to the Pop-Tarts Bowl and became the prime story in the sport Sunday, Marcus Freeman was sitting on the set of the Today Show. He was smiling and joking, not a care in the world. 

It was National Signing Day — a day usually filled with stress and drama for college football coaches — but Freeman knew his class was wrapped up. He didn’t have to be in a war room making last-minute calls to persuade top-tier prospects to sign, nor did he have to fear his recruiting class was going to fall apart. 

No, Freeman — dressed in a sharp plaid sports coat and a light blue dress shirt — was on a nationally-televised talk show promoting his program, addressing his future and flashing his lovable smile. 

Back in South Bend, signatures were pouring in for his 2026 recruiting class. When they all came through, Notre Dame signed perhaps the best high school recruiting class in the history of the Internet rankings era. Notre Dame signed 27 prospects — four of whom were five-star prospects in the Rivals Industry rankings – and finished with the No. 2 class overall, behind only USC, which signed eight more players. Perhaps the most impressive part? Notre Dame didn’t have a single decommitment in the cycle.

That’s how consistent winners are built and maintained. Notre Dame is recruiting at the level of a college football superpower, fulfilling the promise that came with hiring Freeman when he replaced Brian Kelly. 

Disappointment is rampant in the Notre Dame community right now. There’s no getting around that. But remember, college football programs (even the elite ones) have to live through these types of seasons. Sometimes it’s winter, and everything feels cold and grey. Sometimes it’s summer, and everything is bright and promising. And given the way Notre Dame has accumulated talent, you don’t need Punxsutawney Phil to forecast that this winter season will be brief for the Irish.

Listen, there is good reason for Notre Dame to be angry. Though the final CFP bracket was ultimately correct, Notre Dame has reason to gripe about how it was delivered. For more than a month, the CFP Committee told the Irish they were better than Miami. Then it pulled the rug out from under them in the final reveal. It was unnecessary and borderline cruel, mainly because the committee could have just used common sense from the beginning. That’s why there’s all this ire. Notre Dame feels like it was used as a prop in a reality TV show.

But as the season draws to a close and the calendar flips to 2026, focus will turn to next season. And while Notre Dame is losing running back Jeremiyah Love — a Heisman Trophy finalist — it is going to be an excellent team. Quarterback CJ Carr grew tremendously this season and he’s back. And the Irish added all of these elite high school players to the roster, which is exciting in an era when true freshmen are contributing more than ever.

How about Freeman and his staff? Under previous coaching regimes at Notre Dame, it has almost felt like it was a waste of time to recruit five-star prospects. Maybe it was academic standards or the fact the Irish didn’t play in a sexy conference. They weren’t Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Clemson or LSU. They weren’t in the Cool Kids Club. So why go after the same prospects?

Notre Dame had commitments or was deeply involved with some pretty important pieces in the last few cycles and lost them. Remember the names? Keon Keeley, Peyton Bowen, Dante Moore, Ivan Taylor and Deuce Knight all come to mind. Losing those players felt like a message was being sent — Notre Dame is playing in the wrong sandbox.

Nope.

Freeman kept hacking away, refusing to let past disappointment dictate future actions. Despite losing on those pieces, Notre Dame made it to the national title game last season and is now enjoying the recruiting bump that comes with a complete brand rebuild. Notre Dame was always viewed as elite — make no mistake, it has always been one of the most historic and notable college football brands in the country — but now high school kids view it as a national contender again.

That makes a program dangerous. Don’t let transfers and NIL fool you. High school recruiting and development remain essential to winning national titles.

Which brings us back to Notre Dame’s 2026 class, which features these four five-star prospects: edge rusher Rodney Dunham of Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park, cornerback Khary Adams of Towson (Md.) Loyola Blakefield, tight end Ian Premer of Great Bend (Kansas) High and safety Joey O’Brien of Glenside (Pa.) La Salle College. Notre Dame signed six other players who rank in the top 150 nationally.

It’s an elite-level class. It’s the type of class that makes you feel like the program’s first national title since 1988 is right around the corner, which should (maybe) ease the disappointment of missing this year’s CFP. If Freeman treats being told no by the CFP Committee the way he treated being told no by previous five-star prospects, then it’s a downright certainty.

During his Today Show interview last week, the hosts asked Freeman whether he plans to be back with the Irish next season. Remember, Freeman is a hot coaching candidate in the NFL and many are drumming up rumors about him potentially being a candidate for the New York Giants job.

“Oh, yeah,” he responded, no hesitation.

Will Notre Dame be back in the national title game in the future if Freeman stays true to his word? 

Oh, yeah. 

Maybe as soon next year.