Four-star DT Elijah Golden commits to Notre Dame

Notre Dame added to its already long line of recruits for the class of 2026 with the commitment of four-star defensive tackle Elijah Golden on Saturday.
A top-200 overall prospect at 247Sports and On3, Golden chose the Fighting Irish over the likes of Alabama, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Virginia Tech, among some 41 other offers Golden considered.
The 6-foot-4, 275-pounder out of Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota, Fla., is the latest addition to Notre Dame’s list of now-27 verbal commits that are expected to land Marcus Freeman’s among the top-five recruiting classes in the nation.
According to The Athletic, should the class of 2026 haul hold, it could represent Notre Dame’s highest-rated class since 2013.
Golden joins three other defensive linemen committed to the class of 2026: five-star defensive end Rodney Dunham, four-star defensive end Ebenezer Ewetade and three-star defensive tackle Tiki Hola.