Notre Dame’s 2026 Recruiting Class Reminiscent of Important 2011 Haul

Rodney Dunham adds to Notre Dame's impressive list of recent edge-rusher commitments

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman during the College Football Playoff game between Notre Dame and Indiana. | Michael Clubb/South Bend Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If you're a Notre Dame fan and weren't already, it's time to officially get excited about the 2026 recruiting class. Five-star edge rusher Rodney Dunham committed to the Fighting Irish on Thursday, a huge get for Marcus Freeman and company.

Dunham is one of the nation's top recruits according to all recruiting services and gives Notre Dame its second recruiting win at the position in a week. Paired with lengthy edge rusher Ebenezer Ewetade, the two give the Fighting Irish what is one of the nation's premier defensive end pairings.

It's at that position specifically, I can't help but think back to an incredibly important and semi-recent recruiting class of Notre Dame's.

Edge Rushers Reminiscint of Notre Dame's 2011 Recruiting Haul

Oct 19, 2013; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive end Stephon Tuitt (7) celebrates after sacking USC Trojans quarterback Cody Kessler (6) in the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won 14-10. | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Notre Dame landing both Dunham and Ewetade this week has me thinking back to the recruiting cycle of 2011. That year Notre Dame pulled in a recruiting haul at the position that included a couple of impact defenders, Aaron Lynch and Stephon Tuitt.

Lynch went back and forth between being a Notre Dame and Florida State commitment before eventually settling on the Fighting Irish. He provided instant pass rush when, as a true freshman, he recorded 5.5 sacks before deciding to transfer closer to home at South Florida.

Tuitt didn't do as much as a freshman but was arguably Notre Dame's top defensive lineman in 2012, on the team that went to the national championship game. Tuitt recorded 12 sacks that season as a sophomore and remains one of the best defensive linemen Notre Dame has had in semi-recent memory.

2011 and 2026: Similarities and Differences for Notre Dame

Jan 2, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with Fighting Irish defensive lineman Bryce Young (30) after a fourth down stop against the Georgia Bulldogs during the third quarter at Caesars Superdome. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

When the 2011 recruiting class was coming together Notre Dame was in a place that it needed an overhaul on the defensive line. Lynch only lasted a season at Notre Dame but he and Tuitt were desperately needed at that time for Notre Dame because of how far behind the defensive line and edge rushers were for the Fighting Irish then.

Look now and the additions of Dunham and Ewetade are very important for the 2026 class, but the edge rushers are being brought in largely as additions, not out of dire necessity. Add in Bryce Young, Christopher Burgess, and Loghan Thomas as well as expected transfer additions in the modern college football world and the depth is night-and-day different from 15 years ago.

If defensive line coach Al Washington and the Notre Dame coaching staff can have an uptick in defensive tackle recruiting, we could be looking at a flat-out scary defensive front for the Fighting Irish in the not-so-distant future.