Fast-rising 2026 OT Charlie Thom commits to Notre Dame

Avon (Conn.) Old Farms class of 2026 offensive tackle Charlie Thom has announced his commitment to Notre Dame.

The 6-7, 270-pounder was in South Bend over the weekend for his official visit. The Irish went into the trip as the heavy favorite to land him, and the staff got the job done.

“Notre Dame has everything that I want in a school,” Thom told Blue & Gold before making his decision public. “Academics are very important to my family and me. Having the highest academics while also committing to a program that is competing for national championships is exactly why I want to be here.

“It’s a dream come true, and I’m excited to get there in January. My family and I are still in shock as it all happened so fast. This is all really insane.”

On June 9, Thom participated in a Notre Dame evaluation camp and impressed the coaching staff. Notre Dame offered him a scholarship nine days later, and it became clear that the Irish would be the team to beat in the recruitment with Penn State the other main contender.

He informed head coach Marcus Freeman, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and offensive line coach Joe Rudolph of his commitment during his official visit June 20-22.

“I knew [I would commit] before I even got out there,” Thom added. “They were all really happy and hyped when I told them I was committing.”

Rudolph acquired commitment No. 5 at his position group when Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College tackle Grayson McKeogh verbally pledged to the Irish. Notre Dame still continued its pursuit of Thom, and it would’ve taken a disaster for him to not end up with the Irish.

“Notre Dame means a lot to my family, and I have been a fan my whole life obviously because of my mom,” added Thom, whose mother graduated from the university. “Being able to get the offer and commit here means so much.

Being a part of a six-man offensive line class doesn’t concern Thom.

“They don’t care and they want me there obviously. I’m not bothered by it either,” he said. “The Notre Dame O-line room and the team as a whole cares about team glory. The team comes first always. So, we’re going to be a class of guys who are going to push each other every day and always put the team first.”

More details on Charlie Thom

Since mid-May, Thom has added a handful of Power Four offers, including Michigan State, Nebraska, Stanford, Syracuse and Virginia Tech. He camped at Penn State on June 6 and earned an offer that day.

Thom previously played tight end and has transitioned to offensive tackle, which explains his late emergence on the recruiting trail. He’s been clocked at 5.06 in the 40-yard dash and posted a 9-foot, 3-inch broad jump.

The three-star prospect’s high school journey is reminiscent of Joe Alt‘s, who was a high school tight end before switching to offensive tackle prior to his senior year. Alt was a first-round pick after a dominant career at Notre Dame.

“I was more of a blocking tight end at Darien (his last high school),” Thom told Blue White Illustrated. “I had the athleticism and frame that [Avon head coach Jon Wholley] had seen before in kids who did the switch, so he recommended the change and it’s all paid off.”

Irish quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli visited Thom’s high school a year ago, which is when Notre Dame’s interest began. He was still playing tight end at the time, but after transferring high schools and making the move to offensive tackle, things ramped up between the two parties. Thom notes that he’s been communicating with Rudolph for the past couple of months.

Thom was a senior in 2024 at Darien but reclassified to the 2026 class with his move to Avon.

He will enroll early at Notre Dame in January 2026.