Five-Star edge Rodney Dunham announced his commitment to Notre Dame on Thursday. A member of the 2026 class, Dunham hails from North Carolina.
“I’d always go on a visit and compare each school to Notre Dame and say it doesn’t give everything Notre Dame has,” Dunham said to On3.com. “There is only one place like Notre Dame, and it’s Notre Dame. I grew up and realized the cold doesn’t matter. I have to play in the cold someday. Then I picked the school for me.”
The coveted Dunham, a formidable 6’-4,” 225 pounds, ultimately chose Notre Dame over Duke, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. He had additional offers from Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Oregon.
Rodney Dunham: An Elite Talent Headed to South Bend
In On3.com’s rankings, Dunham is the nation’s No. 19 overall player and the No. 3 edge in his class. Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, defensive line coach Al Washington, and defensive line analyst Nick Sebastian all played integral roles in landing Dunham.
“He seems to be just a genuine person,” Dunham’s father, Rodney Sr., said of Freeman to Blue & Gold. “Very genuine. He speaks what he believes, and that’s very important. Head coaches like to have like-minded assistants. Al’s a very genuine, down-to-earth guy. He seems to be a good family man. The thing that stood out most is that he’s a teacher. He’s extremely detailed.
“We sat in on one of the meetings,” he added. “I’ve been in some other team room meetings, and Coach Washington is extremely detailed. Down to every twitch, every move. That’s really good. A great guy who’s genuine and open.”
As a junior at Myers Park in 2024, Dunham proved to be a force on defense for the Mustangs. He racked up 39 tackles with 10 going for a loss. He consistently pressured the quarterback, registering five sacks and 16 hurries. Dunham’s standout 2023 season further illustrated his impact. That year, he recorded 54 tackles (16 for loss), six sacks, and an astounding 20 quarterback hurries. He demonstrated his all-around athleticism with three interceptions, three pass breakups, and a blocked field goal.
Dunham is Notre Dame’s ninth commitment in the 2026 class. He is the second defensive line verbal, joining Ebenezer Ewetade, who committed a week earlier. Ewetade ranks as the No. 128 overall player and the No. 18 edge, according to On3.com.
Blue-Gold Game Set for Saturday
The 94th edition of Notre Dame’s Blue-Gold Game takes place on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. Played at Notre Dame Stadium, this year’s game will be broadcast live on Peacock.
The Blue-Gold Game will likely offer limited clues as to which of the three quarterbacks is trending to become QB1. Steve Angeli, CJ Carr, and Kenny Minchey have reportedly looked good through spring practice. However, the absence of much of the starting offensive line, coupled with sidelined wide receivers, and Jeremiyah Love’s participation limited, creates an environment far removed from normal game-day conditions. As a result, the Blue-Gold game may provide snippets. But any true evaluation of who holds the edge under center will have to wait, leaving the quarterback competition a compelling question mark heading into the summer.
Main Image: MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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