Notre Dame football getting some familial help on latest OL target

When it comes to recruiting, teams are always looking for one in or another. The Notre Dame football team might have the best way to get inside of them all for one offensive line target. His grandfather wants him in South Bend.

Marky Walbridge is a 6-foot-6 offensive tackle who has heard from plenty power conference schools of late. The 2026 prospect has quite some time to decide where he’ll attend school. However, the Fighting Irish are certainly … in the fight as he told the Irish Tribune this week.

“They're one of the top academic schools in the US and their football has been really good. Obviously their o-line, they're known for having a good o-line throughout the years, some of the best in the country.”

So far, Notre Dame hasn’t made an official offer. However line coach Joe Rudolph has talked to the Hanover prospect enough that it feels like an offer will come at some point in the very near future. 

When asked whether or not the Irish would instantly become one of the top teams should they ask him to come play in South Bend, Walbridge was clear they’d have a good shot.

“Since I was a big kid growing up, my grandfather always said I'd be on the o-line one day. He loved Notre Dame and he always told me it would be a great place to go play football. So, I would definitely be interested. It'd be one of the top schools I'd be interested in.”

Notre Dame football getting some familial help on latest OL target

It’s a bit surprising that Rudolph hasn’t convinced head coach Marcus Freeman to hand out an offer just yet. It’s not as though Walbridge is under the radar.

The monster offensive lineman has 14 offers including from teams like Michigan, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Penn State. It would make sense for Notre Dame football to come calling before long.