How many five-star recruits did Notre Dame sign in the 2026 class?

Before answering the question in the headline of the article, the following question must also be asked: “What do you define as a five-star?”

Does the player need to be listed as such just according to one of the composite/industry rankings? Or per your preferred website? Or is it just any player who at one time or another ranked as a five-star according to one of the sites?

For the sake of this article, we’ll look at each of the three major recruiting websites’ rankings now that the early signing period has ended. This list could still change, as each site has one final rankings update based on end-of-season film and all-star games.

Rivals Industry Ranking — EDGE Rodney Dunham, CB Khary Adams, TE Ian Premer and S Joey O’Brien

The Rivals Industry Ranking is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all three major recruiting media services. It’s the most advanced, complete and unbiased rating and ranking measurement in the industry. 

Blue & Gold primarily cites the Industry Ranking when listing a ranking for a recruit.

Notre Dame had never signed more than three five-stars in a class per the Industry Ranking, a record that has now been broken.

Dunham has been a five-star prospect since committing to the Irish, while the other three added five-star status well after their Irish commitments took place. Dunham is the No. 17 overall player and No. 5 EDGE.

It’s an incredible defensive back class for position coach Mike Mickens. O’Brien is the No. 31 overall player and No. 3 safety in America, while Adams is the No. 26 recruit and No. 1 cornerback nationally.

The top-32 overall players are five-star prospects.

247 Sports — Dunham, Premer and O’Brien

The website’s own rankings list the Irish with three five-star recruits. Dunham is the No. 8 overall prospect and No. 2 EDGE per 247.

Premer is their top tight end recruit and No. 21 player nationally, and 247 has O’Brien as the No. 30 player and No. 2 safety in the land.

Rivals — Dunham and OT Grayson McKeogh

Dunham is the No. 10 prospect and No. 3 EDGE according to Rivals’ own rankings. Rivals is the only website to rank McKeogh as a five-star prospect.

In fact, 247 Sports has McKeogh as the No. 16 offensive tackle and No. 145 overall player nationally, and ESPN views him as a three-star and No. 45 tackle in the land. Rivals, however, has him as the No. 9 overall player and No. 3 offensive tackle in the country.

Rivals currently has 21 five-star prospects, but that number will increase to 32 in the final January update — mirroring the NFL Draft. Notre Dame currently has six signees in Rivals’ top 32 national rankings: McKeogh, Dunham, Adams, O’Brien, Premer and EDGE Ebenezer Ewetade.

So, while the Irish only have two Rivals five-star recruits currently, that number could go up to six.

What about the ESPN rankings?

ESPN currently has 25 five-star recruits, but none are Notre Dame class of 2026 signees. We’ll see if that changes in their rankings update. ESPN is notoriously slow in the rankings, and I’ve always believed that they heavily favor recruits who go to events their analysts are involved in.

List of Notre Dame five-stars per at least one ranking

• EDGE Rodney Dunham: Rivals Industry, Rivals, 247 Sports
• S Joey O’Brien: Rivals Industry, 247 Sports
• CB Khary Adams: Rivals Industry
• OT Grayson McKeogh: Rivals
• TE Ian Premer: Rivals Industry, 247 Sports