Revamped rankings: Majority of Notre Dame football's 2026 commits earn spots in updated Rivals300

In the first Rivals rankings since its On3-led overhaul, Notre Dame football is a clear winner with a loaded class of blue-chip recruits.

Fifteen Fighting Irish pledges earned spots in the updated Rivals300 on Monday, headlined by five-star EDGE Rodney Dunham Jr. out of Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park, who ranks No. 6 overall in the class. Dunham is one of 12 players Rivals has awarded five-star status ahead of the 2025 high school football season.

Monday’s update is the first change to the 2026 class rankings since April 21. On April 30, the ownership group behind On3 acquired Rivals, which is now the new home for high school football recruiting coverage on the network.

The old Rivals rankings are now defunct and are no longer factors into the Rivals Industry Ranking (previously known as the On3 Industry Ranking). The new Rivals rankings are led by director of scouting and rankings Charles Power, who oversaw On3’s recruit rankings from 2021 to April 2025. National scout Cody Bellaire, who joined On3 in April 2022, is also a key contributor to the revamped Rivals rankings.

Simply put: On3’s recruiting rankings are now Rivals. On3 will continue its focus on college sports, supported by its powerful database platform and industry-leading reporting on NIL, the transfer portal and fan-driven media.

Dunham is Notre Dame’s highest-ranked commit, but several others are close behind.

The most notable riser is Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College Prep offensive tackle Grayson McKeogh, now the No. 13 overall player and on the cusp of earning a fifth star. When Rivals finalizes its rankings in February, the top 32 prospects will receive five-star status. The system mirrors the number of first-round picks in the NFL Draft.

McKeogh, who played offensive tackle for the first time last season, jumped 168 spots in the rankings. He now ranks as the No. 4 offensive tackle in the country and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania.

Two other Notre Dame pledges are trending toward five-star status: South Garner (N.C.) EDGE Ebenezer Ewetade and Great Bend (Kan.) tight end Ian Premer. They are ranked Nos. 20 and 26 overall, respectively. Ewetade is also the No. 6 EDGE nationally and No. 3 player in North Carolina, while Premer is the No. 3 tight end and No. 1 player in Kansas.

Notre Dame’s two defensive back commits from the Northeast round out the program’s six top-100 players. Towson (Md.) Loyola Blakefield cornerback Khary Adams and Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College safety Joey O’Brien rank Nos. 34 and 47 overall. Adams is the No. 4 cornerback in the nation and No. 3 prospect in Maryland and O’Brien is the No. 3 safety and No. 3 player in Pennsylvania.

Two Irish pledges debuted in the updated Rivals300: Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military School wide receiver Bubba Frazier and Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic tight end Preston Fryzel. Both are now four-star prospects, ranking Nos. 232 and 296 overall. Frazier is the No. 38 wide receiver nationally and No. 30 player in Georgia, and Fryzel is the No. 14 tight end and No. 16 recruit in Ohio.

Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic four-star cornerback Chaston Smith, who committed to Notre Dame on Dec. 1, made a major leap from No. 293 to No. 135. With Winter Park (Fla.) High safety Ayden Pouncy checking in at No. 152, the Irish are on the verge of having four defensive back pledges in the top 150. Smith is the No. 18 cornerback in the country and the No. 6 player in Tennessee. Pouncey, who expects to start his college career at cornerback, is the No. 12 safety and No. 20 prospect in Florida.

Notre Dame also has two top-150 four-star running backs: Jonaz Walton of Carrollton (Ga.) Central and Javian Osborne of Forney (Texas) High. They rank Nos. 120 and 139 overall, and Nos. 6 and 10 among running backs.

Four-star wide receiver Kaydon Finley of Aledo (Texas) High gives the Irish another top-150 pledge. He ranks No. 109 overall and No. 14 at his position.

Rounding out Notre Dame’s presence in the Rivals300 are a pair of Great Lake State offensive linemen: Gregory Patrick of Portage (Mich.) Northern and Ben Nichols of Davison (Mich.) High. They rank Nos. 178 and 283 overall, Nos. 10 and 22 among interior offensive linemen and Nos. 1 and 5 players in Michigan.

How did Notre Dame football’s commits fare in the updated Rivals player rankings?

Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park EDGE Rodney Dunham

New ranking: No. 6 overall player, No. 3 EDGE nationally and No. 1 prospect in North Carolina (98 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 7 overall player, No. 3 EDGE nationally and No. 1 prospect in North Carolina (98 rating)
Ranking change: +1 overall, no change positionally and no change in the state (no change in rating)

Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College OT Grayson McKeogh

New ranking: No. 13 overall player, No. 4 offensive tackle nationally and No. 1 prospect in Pennsylvania (97 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 181 overall player, No. 17 offensive tackle nationally and No. 5 prospect in Pennsylvania (90 rating)
Ranking change: +168 overall, +13 positionally and +4 in the state (+7 rating)

South Garner (N.C.) High EDGE Ebenezer Ewetade

New ranking: No. 20 overall player, No. 6 EDGE nationally and No. 3 prospect in North Carolina (95 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 28 overall player, No. 6 EDGE nationally and No. 3 prospect in North Carolina (94 rating)
Ranking change: +8 overall, N/C positionally and N/C in the state (+1 rating)

Great Bend (Kan.) High TE Ian Premer

New ranking: No. 26 overall player, No. 3 tight end nationally and No. 1 prospect in Kansas (95 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 24 overall player, No. 3 tight end nationally and No. 1 prospect in Kansas (95 rating)
Ranking change: -2 overall, N/C positionally and N/C in the state (N/C rating)

Towson (Md.) Loyola Blakefield CB Khary Adams

New ranking: No. 34 overall player, No. 4 cornerback nationally and No. 3 prospect in Maryland (94 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 30 overall player, No. 3 cornerback nationally and No. 3 prospect in Maryland (94 rating)
Ranking change: -4 overall, -1 positionally and N/C in the state (N/C rating)

Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College S Joey O’Brien

New ranking: No. 47 overall player, No. 3 safety nationally and No. 3 prospect in Pennsylvania (94 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 99 overall player, No. 8 safety nationally and No. 2 prospect in Pennsylvania (92 rating)
Ranking change: +52 overall, +5 positionally and +1 in the state (+2 rating)

Aledo (Texas) High WR Kaydon Finley

New ranking: No. 109 overall player, No. 14 wide receiver nationally and No. 17 prospect in Texas (92 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 120 overall player, No. 14 wide receiver nationally and No. 17 prospect in Texas (91 rating)
Ranking change: +11 overall, N/C positionally and N/C in the state (+1 rating)

Carrollton (Ga.) Central RB Jonaz Walton

New ranking: No. 120 overall player, No. 6 running back nationally and No. 15 prospect in Georgia (92 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 103 overall player, No. 6 running back nationally and No. 10 prospect in Georgia (92 rating)
Ranking change: -13 overall, N/C positionally and -5 in the state (N/C rating)

Konxville (Tenn.) Catholic CB Chaston Smith

New ranking: No. 135 overall player, No. 18 cornerback nationally and No. 6 prospect in Tennessee (91 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 293 overall player, No. 29 cornerback nationally and No. 9 prospect in Tennessee (90 rating)
Ranking change: +158 overall, +11 positionally and +3 in the state (+1 rating)

Forney (Texas) High RB Javian Osborne

New ranking: No. 139 overall player, No. 10 running back nationally and No. 18 prospect in Texas (91 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 156 overall player, No. 15 running back nationally and No. 20 prospect in Texas (91 rating)
Ranking change: +17 overall, +5 positionally and +2 in the state (N/C rating)

Winter Park (Fla.) High S Ayden Pouncey

New ranking: No. 152 overall player, No. 12 safety nationally and No. 20 prospect in Florida (91 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 126 overall player, No. 12 safety nationally and No. 17 prospect in Florida (91 rating)
Ranking change: -26 overall, N/C positionally and -3 in the state (N/C rating)

Portage (Mich.) Northern OL Gregory Patrick

New ranking: No. 178 overall player, No. 10 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 1 prospect in Michigan (91 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 92 overall player, No. 6 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 1 prospect in Michigan (92 rating)
Ranking change: -86 overall, -4 positionally and N/C in the state (-1 rating)

Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military School WR Bubba Frazier

New ranking: No. 232 overall player, No. 38 wide receiver nationally and No. 30 prospect in Georgia (90 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 53 wide receiver nationally and No. 46 prospect in Georgia (89 rating)
Ranking change: Rivals300 debut, +15 positionally and +8 in the state (+1 rating)

Davison (Mich.) High OL Ben Nichols

New ranking: No. 283 overall player, No. 22 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 5 prospect in Michigan (90 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 232 overall player, No. 15 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 3 prospect in Michigan (90 rating)
Ranking change: -51 overall, -7 positionally and -2 in the state (N/C rating)

Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic TE Preston Fryzel

New ranking: No. 296 overall player, No. 14 tight end nationally and No. 16 prospect in Ohio (90 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 18 tight end nationally and No. 19 prospect in Ohio (89 rating)
Ranking change: Rivals300 debut, +5 positionally and +3 in the state (+1 rating)

Mechanicsburg (Pa.) Cumberland Valley OL Tyler Merrill

New ranking: No. 31 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 15 prospect in Pennsylvania (89 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 118 overall player, No. 8 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 3 prospect in Pennsylvania (91 rating)
Ranking change: No longer in the Rivals300, -23 positionally and -12 in the state (+7 rating)

Matthews (N.C.) Weddington LB Thomas Davis Jr.

New ranking: No. 36 linebacker nationally and No. 22 prospect in North Carolina (89 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 36 linebacker nationally and No. 24 prospect in North Carolina (89 rating)
Ranking change: N/C positionally and +2 in the state (N/C rating)

Lake Mary (Fla.) High QB Noah Grubbs

New ranking: No. 26 quarterback nationally and No. 45 prospect in Florida (89 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 23 quarterback nationally and No. 50 prospect in Florida (89 rating)
Ranking change: -3 positionally and +5 in the state (N/C rating)

Cincinnati St. Xavier LB Kobe Clapper

New ranking: No. 31 linebacker nationally and No. 20 prospect in Ohio (89 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 29 linebacker nationally and No. 21 prospect in Ohio (89 rating)
Ranking change: -2 positionally and +1 in the state (N/C rating)

Avon (Conn.) Old Farms OT Charlie Thom

New ranking: No. 30 offensive tackle nationally and No. 3 prospect in Connecticut (89 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 63 offensive tackle nationally and No. 4 prospect in Connecticut (87 rating)
Ranking change: +33 positionally and +1 in the state (+2 rating)

Red Oak (Texas) High WR Brayden Robinson

New ranking: No. 80 wide receiver nationally and No. 74 prospect in Texas (88 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 77 wide receiver nationally and No. 78 prospect in Texas (88 rating)
Ranking change: -3 positionally and +4 in the state (N/C rating)

Phoenix Brophy College Prep WR Devin Fitzgerald

New ranking: No. 83 wide receiver nationally and No. 9 prospect in Arizona (88 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 150 wide receiver nationally and No. 14 prospect in Arizona (87 rating)
Ranking change: +67 positionally and +5 in the state (+1 rating)

Allegan (Mich.) High OL Sullivan Garvin

New ranking: No. 49 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 10 prospect in Michigan (88 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 28 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 6 prospect in Michigan (90 rating)
Ranking change: -21 positionally and -4 in the state (-2 rating)

Bastrop (Texas) High DL Tiki Hola

New ranking: No. 91 defensive lineman nationally and No. 133 prospect in Texas (87 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 99 defensive lineman nationally and No. 184 prospect in Texas (86 rating)
Ranking change: +8 positionally and +51 in the state (+1 rating)

Charlotte (N.C.) Independence S Nick Reddish

New ranking: No. 61 safety nationally and No. 44 prospect in North Carolina (87 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 57 safety nationally and No. 44 prospect in North Carolina (87 rating)
Ranking change: -4 positionally and N/C in the state (N/C rating)

Boca Raton (Fla.) Saint Andrew’s School WR Dylan Faison

New ranking: No. 162 wide receiver nationally and No. 111 prospect in Florida (87 rating)
Previous ranking: No. 170 wide receiver nationally and No. 120 prospect in Florida (87 rating)
Ranking change: +8 positionally and +9 in the state (N/C rating)