Elite CB Khary Adams commits to Notre Dame football over Big Ten programs

The Notre Dame football program has secured a pivotal verbal commitment from Towson (Md.) Loyola Blakefield four-star cornerback Khary Adams.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Adams announced his pledge to the Fighting Irish on Friday over offers from Penn State, Michigan, Oregon and South Carolina. He was one of the most sought-after defensive backs in the 2026 cycle, receiving scholarship offers from 27 other Power Four programs, including Clemson, LSU, Southern Cal and Tennessee.

“I have been up to Notre Dame four times and I can’t even describe what it is like,” Adams told On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons before publicizing his decision Friday. “There are no words for it. It’s just different. It is something you have never seen before. Notre Dame is special.”

According to the On3 Industry Ranking, Adams is the nation’s No. 67 overall player, No. 8 cornerback nationally and No. 4 player in Maryland in the class. If he maintains or improves his ranking when they are finalized next winter, Adams would become the highest-ranked cornerback recruit to sign with Notre Dame since Gary Gray in 2007. Gray was the No. 44 overall player and No. 5 cornerback in his class.

On3 already considers Adams among the elite. In its rankings, he is the No. 30 overall player and No. 3 cornerback, putting him in the mix for five-star status. Each cycle, On3 awards five-star ratings to 32 recruits to emulate the 32 first-round NFL Draft picks. In the internet recruiting era, which began in 2002, the Irish have never signed a five-star cornerback.

Adams joins an already promising Notre Dame 2026 defensive back class that features Winter Park (Fla.) High four-star safety Ayden Pouncey and Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic four-star cornerback Chaston Smith. They rank as the Nos. 148 and 286 overall players and Nos. 13 and 26 prospects at their positions in the class, respectively. Their biggest contribution to the Irish football program to date has been making Adams feel welcome during last weekend’s official visit.

“It was cool getting around them,” he said. “If I were to go there, they would be in my class. It was really cool.”

They were on campus the same weekend as Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College four-star safety Joey O’Brien, the No. 40 overall player and No. 5 safety in the class. O’Brien will announce his decision between Notre Dame, Clemson, Oregon and Penn State on Friday.

A timeline of Khary Adams’ Notre Dame football recruitment

Adams was not in the first round of scholarship offers when Notre Dame debuted its 2026 class defensive backs board on Pot of Gold Day. Still, he made it to campus about a year ago for one of the program’s evaluation camps and earned an offer from the Irish after working with defensive backs coach Mike Mickens.

“It was great,” Adams said. “He gives really good criticism, and it’s great for getting better. He helped me with my breaks and keeping my pad level down. I can use my length to my advantage.” 

He checked in at his Notre Dame official visit last weekend at 6-2, 185 pounds. Those measurables have resulted in comparisons to former Irish cornerback Cam Hart (6-3, 202 pounds), who is also from Maryland.

“Yeah, they have compared us for sure,” Adams said. “There are a lot of similarities between us. Like, if you’ve seen how he plays and also where he comes from.”

His second trip to South Bend occurred for the Northern Illinois game Sept. 7. He was the most prominent recruit on campus for Notre Dame’s upset loss to the Huskies. However, that did not deter his interest in the Irish.

“I’m interested in the school,” he said. “That one loss doesn’t change anything.” 

Adams ended up visiting North Carolina, Syracuse, Penn State, South Carolina, Clemson and LSU before he returned to Notre Dame on April 4. The Irish solidified their standing in his recruitment following that visit.

“They’ve always been one of my top schools,” Adams told Blue & Gold. “So, nothing’s really changed.” 

But his recruitment was not over yet. Adams officially visited Penn State, South Carolina and Michigan before returning to South Bend for his official visit. As he discovered, no school could top what Notre Dame could offer on and off the field.

“This visit was great,” Adams told On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons. “I just think outside of football, what Notre Dame can do and how they can set you up for life.”

The Khary Adams File

Adams was a two-way player for Loyola Blakefield as a junior last season. In 11 games, he posted 43 tackles, 2 stops for loss and 3 interceptions while adding 34 catches for 562 yards (16.5 yards per catch) and 6 touchdowns for the Dons. As a sophomore, Adams primarily played defense, recording 24 tackles in 7 games.

In the offseason, Adams competes in track and field. His PR in the outdoor 100-meter dash is 10.7 seconds, showcasing his elite speed. He also has a 6.45 PR in the 55-meter and a 6.95 PR in the 60-meter indoor. Adams also has plenty of experience competing in the 200-meter (21.5 seconds PR), 300-meter (35.14 seconds PR) and 400-meter (50.18 seconds) yard dashes.