Notre Dame dials up push for top QB recruit in visit to Sunshine State

Notre Dame football's pursuit of top quarterback prospects for the 2026 class, including standout Noah Grubbs ramped up this week.
Notre Dame QB coach Gino Guidugli watches practice
Notre Dame QB coach Gino Guidugli watches practice / Michael Reaves/GettyImages
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As the Notre Dame football recruiting calendar creeps closer to National Signing Day for the 2025 class, the Fighting Irish stars of the 2026 class are getting more and more attention. The quarterback position is at the top of the list of where Marcus Freeman and company are turning their attention. Deuce Knight is (hopefully) locked in for 2025, but there's a bit of a battle between two of the top signal callers in the class.

Among the two Notre Dame football targets that the Irish have been investing significant time in this spring, one received special attention earlier this week. New offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli made a trip to Florida to see Noah Grubbs, demonstrating the team's dedication to recruiting the best talent.

It should surprise no one that the visit went well. After all, it's long felt like a race between Grubbs and Notre Dame's other quarterback target, Brady Hart, to see who would commit first. Following hosting the two Irish coaches, Grubbs confirmed how much he likes what the Golden Domers offer.

"It's definitely a different feeling than any place because it's Notre Dame,” Grubbs told Irish Sports Daily. "They're one of the most prestigious schools out there from academics to sports, and football specifically. Being out at Notre Dame over summer camp and at spring ball, it's a different atmosphere there than any other place."

Notre Dame football 'a different feeling' for top QB target

Grubbs and the coaches couldn't sit down and talk, so Denbrock and Guidugli just watched the Lake Mary quarterback do some drills. His high school is currently participating in its own spring practice session. 

Grubbs got the message, even if it wasn't verbal. Notre Dame is still very interested in getting him to come play ball in South Bend. 

There's still a race to land him. He has offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Florida, Miami, North Carolina, Duke, Auburn, Colorado, Nebraska, Penn State and Texas A&M in addition to Notre Dame. 

That many offers from that many Power 4 schools isn't surprising considering the numbers he put up as a sophomore. In 2023 Noah Grubbs completed 207 of 356 passes for 3,677 yards with 49 TD and 11 INT. Those numbers were enough to lead Lake Mary to a 10-2 record, a two-game improvement over their season when he was a freshman.

Notre Dame football will almost certainly only ramp up the pressure on Noah Grubbs as the spring and summer go on. Marcus Freeman is one who likes to have his classes close to wrapped up by this time every year.