Notre Dame Trending With Several 2026 Quarterbacks

With quarterback Deuce Knight already committed in the 2025 recruiting class, Notre Dame already has set their eyes on the talented 2026 crop of quarterbacks. Early on it looks like a very talented group, with varying skill sets and upside.

Early on Notre Dame had extended an offer to six different quarterbacks. Here is what the board looks like right now, and a few particulars to know. Based on early feedback, there is no reason to believe that the momentum will stop anytime soon at quarterback.

RYDER LYONS - Folsom (Calif.) High School

Lyons is a player that Notre Dame has gained traction with a lot early on. During the open period, the staff has been out to Folsom to check on him multiple times. From Lyons’ side, there is substantial interest and he is eyeing his first visit to campus this offseason.

The 6-2, 205-pound signal caller is one of the top dual threat quarterbacks in the 2026 recruiting class. He has an outstanding combination of natural arm talent, improvisation skills and ability as a runner. Lyons is the perfect modern signal caller that fits in perfectly for how college football continues to trend.

BRADY SMIGIEL - Newbury Park (Calif.) High School

Smigiel is one of the few quarterbacks on the list that has already visited South Bend. The 6-4, 205-pound passer made his first trip a few weeks ago during the most recent Junior Day, which is a rarity for sophomores. That visit went exceptionally well, with Smigiel leaving that trip with a high impression of Notre Dame.

Compared to Lyons, Smigiel is much more of a traditional pocket passer. He does have some nice movement skills in the pocket but is much more of an in structure player.

NOAH GRUBBS - Lake Mary (Fla.) High School

Dating back to the Ohio State game from this past season, Grubbs made his first trip to South Bend. Since then, the Irish have been trending in a great direction with the talented signal caller. In a recent interview, he mentioned that the Irish staff has been pushing hard for him.

The 6-4, 205-pound signal caller is coming off of a tremendous sophomore campaign. He threw for 49 touchdowns and ran for another three on the ground. Grubbs is outstanding from the pocket, showcasing a big arm and accuracy to all levels of the field.

BRADY HART - Cocoa (Fla.) High School

Speaking of accuracy, Hart is one of the more accurate intermediate and deep throwers in the 2026 class. He also has a plus arm, showing the ability to push the football vertically. The 6-4, 185-pound passer was awesome for Cocoa in 2023. He threw for 3,759 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Hart has set a visit to Notre Dame on April 3rd. That will be his first trip to campus. How things heat up between the two sides will be interesting to watch.

JARED CURTIS - Nashville (Tenn.) Christian School

Curtis has a good argument as potentially the top overall quarterback in the 2026 class. At 6-4 and 225 pounds, he has one of the top arms you are going to see regardless of any class. There is a lot of Matt Stafford in his game, throwing with velocity to all areas of the field and off platform. He is also a good athlete who can create when things break down.

As of now, there doesn’t seem to be a ton of interest in Notre Dame but he has been offered by the Irish. Gino Guidugli also visited his school during the open period.

WILL GRIFFIN - Tampa Bay (Fla.) Jesuit

Griffin brings a similar skill set to Lyons, having the ability to create out of structure and has outstanding dual threat ability. As a passer, he has a really nice deep ball and throws with good overall touch. Griffin is also a creative athlete who can use his feet both inside and outside of structure.

The 6-3, 225-pound passer is the teammate of Notre Dame 2025 running back commit Justin Thurman. There is some interest for Griffin to come and check out South Bend, but a date has not been cemented yet.

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