Notre Dame's Most Likely Impact Freshman for 2026 Championship Chase

Notre Dame is a national championship favorite entering 2026 for what it returns, but also because of what it's bringing in.

Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet on the field before a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Notre Dame is taking aim at ending it's national championship drought that dates back to the 1988 season and will enter 2026 on the short list of favorites to bring the ultimate trophy home.

When Notre Dame won it all in 1988 it had star upper classmen and breakout first-time starters, but also a handful of true freshmen that helped kicked that championship door down.

Raghib "Rocket" Ismail's 12 receptions don't jump off the statsheet at you, but the impact he made simply by being a speed threat only helped Notre Dame's offense.

Notre Dame had a top-five recruiting class this past cycle, so which of those players have the best shot at making a difference and helping Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish complete its goals list?

Here are the top five candidates to do exactly that.

Honorable Mention: Joey O'Brien, Safety

One of the top safeties in the class, O'Brien is about as surefire as it gets when it comes to projecting a future star. However, two things keep him from making the top-five of this list:

First off, Notre Dame is loaded at safety and playing time will be tough to come by, even with as good as he is.

And second, O'Brien broke his fibula in the Blue-Gold Game. That won't cost him his freshman season by any means, but will limit his summer workouts.

I gave consideration to adding a running back to this list, but which it would be still remains fairly unclear in a hotly contested running back room.

No. 4 Devin Fitzgerald - Wide Receiver

Wow WR Devin Fitzgerald looked like a vet out there. 3 receptions, 54 yards, and even made this touchdown grab look effortless. Could he break through into the receiver rotation as a true freshman?! pic.twitter.com/mWh9zhLEaR

— Talia Baia (@taliaontv) April 26, 2026

Although Notre Dame is armed with more experienced players in what should be a deeper wide receiver room, if Fitzgerald performs like he did in the spring, then he's going to find himself getting playing time.

No. 3: Ebenezer Ewetade - Edge

Thought to be a bit more of a project when he announced his commitment last April, Ewetade showed up ready to produce this spring. Notre Dame needs to have an excellent pass rush if its defense is going to be as good as advertised and the 6-4 Raleigh product should press for playing time early.

No. 2: Ian Premer, Tight End

Part of the reasoning here is because of how talented Premer appears to be and the other part has to do with nobody seemingly taking the tight end reigns and running with them yet.

Premer doesn't even get to Notre Dame's campus for another month but when he arrives he'll be the most talented freshman tight end the Irish have had since Michael Mayer in 2020 - when Mayer caught 42 passes for more than 400 yards and a pair of scores.

No. 1: Rodney Dunham, Edge

Notre Dame freshman edge Rodney Dunham. Helloooooo pic.twitter.com/UOTLssQHm0

— Jamie Uyeyama (@jamieuyeyama) April 26, 2026

Pass rush, pass rush, and more pass rush. Dunham enters Notre Dame as the best freshman pass rusher the Irish have had in seemingly forever. I fully expect Dunham to challenge Isaiah Foskey's career sack record at Notre Dame, and to do so in just three seasons when he leaves early to be a first round draft pick.

That journey in South Bend starts with a banger of a freshman year.