Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has proven he knows how to recruit great football players into his program. Whent he Early Signing Period opened up in December of 2025, and so many commits for other schools were flipping at the last second, not a single one of Freeman's recruits jumped ship, but instead signed right away.
There was some worry when the Transfer Portal opened up and Notre Dame didn't have as ingle recruit for the first week. However, Freeman went on a hot streak and brought in five guys in one day, really boosting the roster for next season.
Now, looking at who Freeman brought in, Notre Dame is going to make program history next season with nine former five-star players on the roster, the most of any Irish team ever.
Following recent transfer portal signings, Notre Dame is now expected to have 9 former 5-stars rostered in 2026, the most ever to be on a single team in Notre Dame history.
— The Irish Tribune (@theirishtribune) January 16, 2026
The following prospects will play for the Irish in 2026:
2026 CB Khary Adams (24 Natl. 1 Pos.)
2026 TE… pic.twitter.com/SpMlu8MtZ0
Notre Dame is making 5-star history thanks to Marcus Freeman
Quite a few of those players come from Freeman's 2026 recruiting class, and some were already on the roster, but Freeman brought in three more from the portal to make the historic number. Former Alabama defensive lineman Keon Keeley and former Ohio State wide receivers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter were all top prospects in their class and now will represent the Irish in 2026.
This just proves how great a recruiter Freeman is. Even if he couldn't get these guys in the building out of high school, when they chose to enter the transfer portal, he was able to do enough to get them to South Bend in the end.
With some of the losses Notre Dame suffered because of the portal and the NFL, these players will be huge additions for what is already looking to be a big 2026 season. With the way 2025 ended, the Irish are ready to make a statement and quiet all the haters.