The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have been historically dominant on the recruiting trail as the program recruits for itself. While that sentiment remains true, under Marcus Freeman's leadership, Notre Dame has been clicking on all cylinders on the recruiting trail. The month of June has been especially strong for the Irish as they've used official visits to build this class to an elite level.
Notre Dame lands 5-star safety Joey O'Brien
On Friday Night, the Fighting Irish picked up another massive commitment, landing 5-star safety Joey O'Brien over Penn State, Clemson, and Oregon.
BREAKING: Elite 2026 Safety Joey O’Brien has Committed to Notre Dame, he tells me for @on3recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 20, 2025
The 6’5 190 S from Philadelphia, PA chose the Fighting Irish over Oregon, Penn State, & Clemson
“IRISH SPRING GREEN GREEN☘️”https://t.co/MM3qFmDvZD pic.twitter.com/bfSct6AGsm
Landing Joey O'Brien is massive for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish as they add a second 5-star recruit to this class. The Fighting Irish beat out Penn State for the Pennsylvania native, which has become a major theme in this recruiting cycle. Marcus Freeman now holds commitments from 3 of the top 10 players out of Pennsylvania and have beaten the Nittany Lions out for several other players in the North East.
Joey O'Brien is a perfect addition for Notre Dame and fits the mold of a safety like Notre Dame great Kyle Hamilton. At 6-foot-5, O'Brien has a ton of size and length for a defensive back, which is certainly a massive benefit. O'Brien has elite level ball skills and instincts for a High School player, showcasing this ability perfectly at OT7 this year.
Had a great time at OT7 Dallas this weekend. Got OT7 MVP for Day 1 and 2nd overall for the whole tournament. @LaSalleFball @ChadSimmons_ @TomLoy247 @RivalsFriedman @TorreySmithWR @CharlesPower pic.twitter.com/9QbpLJuLWN
— Joey O’Brien (@Joey_obrien6) March 24, 2025
The Fighting Irish now have an elite defensive recruiting class with top 100 recruits in O'Brien, 5-star Rodney Dunham, edge rusher Ebenezer Ewetade, and DB Khary Adams.
The Fighting Irish are now in a great position to finish this recruiting class with the Nation's top ranked class. Notre Dame is in a great position with elite recruits like Elijah Golden, Kaydon Finley, Evan Jacobson, and Brayden Robinson.