𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑: Notre Dame Lands Three 5-Stars, Surges to No. 3 in 247Sports Rankings

South Bend is surging.

Notre Dame has vaulted to the No. 3 spot in the latest 247Sports Team Rankings following a major reshuffling of the 2025 recruiting board — a rise powered by three future Irish stars who just received coveted 5-star status.

In what recruiting analysts are calling one of the most seismic jumps of the summer, defensive end Rodney Dunham, cornerback Khary Adams, and tight end Ian Premer all made significant leaps in the updated rankings. Their surges not only underscore the individual talent Marcus Freeman and his staff have secured but also solidify Notre Dame’s claim as a legitimate contender for the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.

Dunham, a freakish edge rusher out of Texas, climbed 18 spots and now sits at No. 14 nationally, making him the No. 3 defensive end in the country. A relentless pass-rusher with a 6-foot-5 frame and a wingspan that haunts quarterbacks in their sleep, Dunham’s stock has been rising steadily throughout the offseason. The latest camp footage and verified athletic testing confirmed what scouts long suspected — he’s a future first-round pick in the making.

Then there’s Khary Adams, a Florida corner who exploded up the charts, moving up a staggering 44 spots to land at No. 22 nationally. More importantly, Adams is now ranked as the No. 1 cornerback in the entire country. At 6-foot-1 with elite closing speed and fluid hips, Adams has the makings of a lockdown DB, the kind of boundary defender Notre Dame fans have long craved. His rise is both a credit to his technical polish and the Irish staff’s eye for identifying top-tier talent early.

Rounding out the trio is tight end Ian Premer — the latest in a long line of elite Notre Dame tight ends. The Nebraska native jumped 12 spots to settle in at No. 32 nationally and No. 3 at his position. With soft hands, bruising strength, and an uncanny ability to find soft spots in zone coverage, Premer fits the mold of an NFL-ready tight end that Notre Dame has become famous for producing.

These meteoric jumps helped push Notre Dame’s class to 294.37 points in the 247Sports system — closing in on the program’s all-time high of 295.57, which came in 2008 under Charlie Weis. That class featured blue-chippers like Michael Floyd, Kyle Rudolph, and Dayne Crist, but with the current trajectory of Freeman’s 2025 haul, it may soon have company — or be outright dethroned.

Notre Dame’s surge pushed the Irish past traditional SEC juggernauts Texas A&M and Alabama, who had been fixtures in the top five. Only Georgia and USC remain ahead in the rankings, but momentum may be swinging in Notre Dame’s favor.

And Marcus Freeman is just getting started.

What makes this class even more impressive is the completeness of the group. Beyond the new 5-stars, Notre Dame’s class features elite prospects at nearly every position. Quarterback Deuce Knight, a 4-star lefty with dual-threat capability, remains firmly committed. Wide receivers Jerome Myles and Darnell Weaver — both top-150 talents — add firepower to the offense. And in the trenches, the Irish have reeled in powerful offensive linemen like Owen Strebig and standouts on the defensive front like Dominik Hulak and Sean Sevillano.

According to multiple recruiting insiders, the Irish are also trending for several more blue-chip prospects, including top-50 linebacker Kingston Simmons and elite safety Myron Carter. If either were to commit, Notre Dame could realistically challenge Georgia’s No. 1 spot by signing day — something that seemed unthinkable just two years ago.

Freeman’s transformation of Notre Dame’s recruiting efforts can’t be overstated. Since taking the reins, he’s infused the program with new energy, a relentless recruiting motor, and the kind of national brand reach Notre Dame hadn’t fully utilized in the digital era. His staff, including ace recruiters like Mike Mickens, Al Washington, and Chansi Stuckey, has proven adept at both identifying under-the-radar talent and closing on big names when it matters most.

Notre Dame’s recent rise also signals a shift in perception. For years, critics claimed the Irish couldn’t recruit at an elite level due to academic restrictions and climate concerns. Freeman has shattered that narrative. He’s not just landing great players — he’s building classes full of game-changers, the kind that don’t just win bowl games, but compete in playoff semifinals and national championships.

“I think Notre Dame’s showing that it can win the recruiting battles that matter most,” said 247Sports national analyst Steve Wiltfong. “Getting a guy like Khary Adams to rise to No. 1 at his position — that’s huge. But having three guys hit 5-star status in the same update? That’s a sign of depth, of evaluation, and of development.”

Irish fans are already buzzing online, and rightfully so. With a top-tier QB locked in, multiple 5-stars at premium positions, and a top-three national ranking, there’s cautious optimism this class might become the most impactful in modern program history.

Still, questions remain. Can Freeman and his staff hold on to all of these commits through signing day? Will others rise to 5-star status before February? And perhaps most intriguingly — can Notre Dame finally dethrone the SEC at the top of the recruiting food chain?

The Irish have not finished with a No. 1 recruiting class in the modern era. Their last top-three finish came in 2013. Since then, powerhouse programs like Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and Ohio State have dominated the top of the rankings. But this year, Notre Dame is forcing its way into the conversation — and Freeman’s players are making it clear: they’re not just happy to be in the mix.

They’re coming for the crown.

With recruiting heating up and signing day looming, one thing is certain — this Notre Dame class isn’t just talented. It’s potentially historic.

And if Freeman can finish strong, it might go down as the class that changed everything.