Irish Breakdown

National Analyst Snubs Notre Dame in June Top Recruiting Class Rankings

Notre Dame is having a big recruiting run, but it's not doing enough for some national reporters.
Mason Plummer|
Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman arrives prior to the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman arrives prior to the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish

In June, Notre Dame was adding a four or five-star caliber player nearly every single day, it seemed like. It was a month for the ages in terms of landing that many recruits of that sort of quality, in such a short period.

However, it was not enough to be in the top-five or even the top-ten for Rivals recruiting analyst Adam Gorney. Gorney, a well-respected member of college football media, especially in recruiting, was surely aware of the Fighting Irish landing five-star Joey O'Brien, five-star Ian Premer and high four-stars Khary Adams and Grayson McKeogh.

It may have been a genuine omission, but the buzz and notoriety Notre Dame gained on the trail for the last few weeks seems nearly impossible to forget about. As mentioned above, this was likely the best month of recruiting in Notre Dame football HISTORY.

Think about that. Notre Dame is the most storied program in college football, with dozens and dozens of All-Americans and Hall of Famers, yet this was probably its best recruiting month EVER, and it still was not good enough to even make Gorney's top 10?

Sure.

I have a hard time believing that the three and four-star recruits that Michigan State or Nebraska landed in June can hold a candle to the several top-50 athletes that Notre Dame landed, but I digress.

Maybe Notre Dame can make Gorney's list in July, when it hopefully lands a trio of wide receivers in Kaydon Finley, Devin Fitzgerald, and Braydon Robinson, along with top of the board defensive tackle target Elijah Golden.

That would bring in four additional four-stars to the Fighting Irish 2026 cycle, which already boasts 13 players of four-star status or above.

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Mason Plummer
MASON PLUMMER

Covered Notre Dame football recruiting since 2017 for Irish Breakdown, Blue & Gold Illustrated and Notre Dame On SI. Covering Notre Dame professionally got me my start in journalism, which led me to getting my degrees in Journalism and Communications from Ball State University in 2021. Featured on Bleacher Report, NBC Sports, Rivals, On3 and more. Have missed multiple weddings and graduation parties for Notre Dame games.

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