Notre Dame’s Pot of Gold Day was Sunday coinciding with St. Patrick’s Day and roughly 100 offers were sent out by the Irish coaches. Here is a look at 10 that are particularly interesting as the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes move forward:
*****
RELATED: Notre Dame lands WR Jerome Bettis Jr.
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals100
TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer search | Transfer tracker/player ranking (football) | Transfer team ranking (football) | Transfer tracker/player ranking (basketball) | Transfer team ranking (basketball) | Rivals Portal Twitter
*****
There is a decent chance that the four-star offensive tackle from Harrisburg, Pa., goes about two hours up the road and plays at Penn State. The Nittany Lions have been recruiting him hard and he’s very familiar with the program. Brown will visit Florida, Florida State, Auburn, Alabama and Georgia in the coming days and the family doesn’t know much about Notre Dame yet. But the Irish have done well in Pennsylvania over the years (OL Peter Jones in 2024) and if Brown stays patient in recruiting, Notre Dame could get much more involved.
*****
There has not been a lot of talk from Cantwell about Notre Dame early in his recruitment but there is something unique going on with the 2026 five-star offensive tackle: He doesn’t have a firm top list and seems open to all programs. The Irish have done as good a job as any team developing elite offensive linemen and that could intrigue the Nixa, Mo., standout whose both parents were Olympians. Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and others are involved.
*****
Notre Dame has done fabulously over the years with sons of NFL players and Carter could be one of the next ones although every Southeast team will try to keep the 2026 four-star from Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove home. Carter was originally committed to Florida State but now Georgia and many others are involved with the four-star speedster. Notre Dame is in the picture now, the Irish can use playmakers on offense and Carter could get interested.
*****
The 2026 wide receiver from Boca Raton (Fla.) St. Andrew’s School is not yet a national name on the recruiting scene but Notre Dame offered him on Pot of Gold Day and it could be tough for Faison to turn down the Irish. His brother signed with Notre Dame in the 2023 class and this was the first offer for the St. Andrew’s prospect who had 480 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this past season.
*****
His father was a high-end defensive back in the 2007 recruiting class from Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central who chose Florida but now Notre Dame is involved with Finch Jr. and there is serious interest in the Irish. The 2026 standout said he was “definitely waiting for this offer” and that “it’s Notre Dame” so while this was his first offer, it’s definitely one to watch.
*****
Oregon could be really tough to beat for the 2026 four-star tight end who grew up in the state but is now playing at St. George (Utah) Pine View as Utah, BYU and many SEC programs are of interest. But Notre Dame has done so incredibly well developing tight ends over the years and recruiting elite players at that position that Harris could immediately get interested in the Irish.
*****
In December, Jones was garnering tons of interest. By February, the 2026 defensive end from Chicago (Ill.) Mt. Carmel had landed a handful of intriguing offers from Auburn, Iowa State, Nebraska and Wisconsin and on Sunday he landed his Notre Dame offer. Not many defensive ends in his class look as good as Jones and the 2026 local standout said the Notre Dame offer was one he was waiting for.
*****
Texas A&M is going to be a major contender in his recruitment along with Texas and Penn State but King said Notre Dame was high on his list even before Sunday when he landed his offer from the Irish. The Port Arthur (Texas) Memorial standout is expected to visit South Bend in April and Notre Dame could shoot even higher now that he has the offer and a visit to campus is coming up.
*****
The 2026 high four-star cornerback from Los Angeles (Calif.) Loyola has been committed to USC since late October but the defensive coaching staff was a lot different in the fall and position coach Donte Williams has moved to Georgia. The word is that others are going to be very involved in Lockhart’s recruitment and that he’s open to others. Academics could play a big role for any Loyola prospect and now that the Irish are involved, it’s one to watch.
*****
A kid named Joey O’Brien was offered by Notre Dame on St. Patrick’s Day? Sometimes the stories write themselves. Anyway, the 2026 cornerback from Philadelphia (Pa.) La Salle College High now has an offer from the Irish and after visiting last week it should definitely be something to watch.
