Notre Dame football On300 TE target JC Anderson announces top schools
Mount Zion (Ill.) High four-star tight end JC Anderson has narrowed his college football recruitment to 10 schools, his father Jeff Anderson confirmed to Blue & Gold on Wednesday. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound junior is down to Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida State, Illinois, LSU, North Carolina, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and Texas.
According to the On3 Industry Ranking, Anderson is the No. 144 overall player, No. 6 tight end nationally and No. 4 prospect in Illinois in the 2026 cycle. He is just one of four tight ends in the class to report an Irish offer.
Anderson has unofficially visited campus three times, including most recently on June 10 to camp with offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Denbrock. Anderson’s latest trip to South Bend proved to be one of the most beneficial ones he has made so far.
“I got more tips than I’ve ever gotten in a 30-minute workout,” Anderson told Blue & Gold on June 13. “He helped me a lot. He gave me a ton of tips, and I took them to the 1-on-1s. I did a great job in the 1-on-1s in the camp, too.
“Then, I got to learn a little bit about how he coaches. It was a great time.”
The No. 2 2026 tight end in the Midwest, Anderson, has visited every one of his top schools besides Texas.
Anderson also reported visits to Florida, Iowa, Michigan State, Missouri, Tennessee and Wisconsin. However, those schools did not make his top 10. USC, Stanford, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Nebraska were among the other notable omissions.
Notre Dame TE target JC Anderson has become national prospect in short time
Anderson first emerged on the Irish’s radar when he unofficially visited campus for the Wake Forest game on Nov. 18.
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When Anderson was in South Bend for the first time, Marshall was the only school to offer him a scholarship. Gerad Parker was also Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator/tight ends coach.
From then until Notre Dame formally offered Anderson during its Pot of Gold Day campaign, he picked up offers from Illinois, Penn State, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, Texas A&M, Missouri, Baylor, Cincinnati, Purdue and Wisconsin.
Since March 17, when the Irish’s St. Patrick’s Day-themed recruiting event occurred, 22 power conference programs became involved.
Anderson enters the season as one of the top tight end recruits in the region. Also on Wednesday, MaxPreps national high school sports reporter Eric Frantz named Anderson to his preseason All-Great Lakes Football Team. Anderson claimed a spot on the third team.
As a sophomore, he caught 30 passes for 307 yards and 3 touchdowns.
