The timing of Rodney Dunham’s decision didn’t add create much drama leading into Thursday’s commitment announcement. The four-star edge defender chose April 10 as his commitment date just three days after completing a two-day unofficial visit to Notre Dame.
That doesn’t make Dunham’s decision any less meaningful. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior from Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park made his choice clear Thursday with a YouTube announcement of his Notre Dame verbal commitment.
Dunham committed to Notre Dame after considering Duke, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee as his other top four schools. Dunham’s visit to Notre Dame in March, which was his second recruiting trip to South Bend, Ind., ended the suspense of where Dunham might head.
"It wasn't much of a challenge," Dunham said of the decision.
"Notre Dame checked off the important boxes," he continued. "That's what this whole thing was about — finding the best fit, and it was important. What gets me excited is that they can develop me really well — and I can go to the NFL from there. I can also get a pretty good degree and a good job from there and make new connections."
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Dunham totaled 39 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and five sacks in 10 games as a junior last fall. Dunham, a pitcher and outfielder in baseball, hasn’t returned to the diamond yet this spring due to injury.
Rivals ranks Dunham as the No. 11 edge defender and No. 127 overall in the class. He became the second edge to commit to the Irish in less than a week. Four-star edge defender Ebenezer Ewetade, who Rivals ranks as the No. 15 edge and No. 218 overall in the 2026 class, committed to Notre Dame on Saturday.
Edge defender is a new position classification for Rivals in the 2026 cycle. It could include defensive ends or outside linebackers depending on the defensive scheme. Notre Dame last signed a pair of Rivals250 defensive ends in the same class in 2024: Loghan Thomas (197) and Bryce Young (221).
“Dunham has elite first-step quickness,” said Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman. “He’s an explosive, twitchy edge defender who can play with a hand in the dirt or fire off a two-point stance. He’s explosive off the ball with a 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame.
“He has the length and closing speed to cause havoc behind the line of scrimmage on a consistent basis. He’s a terror slowing down the run and setting the edge and even more tantalizing and intriguing as a pass rusher, where most of his upside as an NFL star presents itself.
“He is one of the top edge defenders in the country coming off an injury in November of his junior season. He’s expected to be full go for his senior season at Myers Park and one of the players we believe could finish at or among the best edge defenders in the cycle.”
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The addition of Dunham gives Notre Dame nine commitments in the 2026 class. Dunham improved Notre Dame’s class ranking from No. 12 to No. 7. All but one of Notre Dame’s commits are four-star recruits. Six of them are ranked inside the Rivals250.
The Irish are starting to pick up momentum after going more than two months without a new pledge. Notre Dame defensive line coach Al Washington may be able to keep that momentum going with four-star defensive tackle Tiki Hola scheduled to make a commitment decision May 10. Hola is expected to visit Notre Dame this weekend.
"I feel like I fit in well over there,” Dunham previously said of Notre Dame. “It's a nice school with a good football program. I enjoyed the visit there, the time on campus. Coach [Marcus] Freeman is a good guy, a great coach, and seeing how he ran practice was good to see.
“They're recruiting me hard, contacting me every day about how I'm gonna fit on the team, in the school, and from an academic standpoint. I fit in well — it's a great school with great people and great football."
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