Nd looks for strong finish to ‘26 class with elijah golden on august 9th
The defensive line recruiting in the 2026 class has been stellar as the Fighting Irish secured commitments from the talented trio of Tiki Hola Bastrop (Texas) Bastrop, Rodney Dunham Charlotte (N.C) Myers Park, and Ebenezer Ewetade Garner (N.C.) South Garner. That early momentum hit a bit of a speed bump when Liberty Hill (Texas) Liberty defensive lineman Alister Vallejo recently chose Michigan over Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish immediately set their sights and energy on adding a familiar target in 6-4 275-pound four-star defensive lineman Elijah Golden of Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney to the class. The explosive defender has been to South Bend several times and returned for his official visit this past weekend, where he got a chance to experience new things.
“The visit was pretty good,” Golden told Irish Breakdown. “I always have a great time there. I was able to see the dorms! The apartments off- campus were nice, too. It was good to see more of South Bend.”
One of the three determining factors that the Florida prep star will be using is finding a place that feels like home. The visit went a long way to answer that for him and his family.
“I felt comfortable there,” Golden said. “I spent time with the recruits, coaches and current players, and we were just vibing. Spent time with Rodney (Dunham) and EB (Ebenezer Ewetade), and we talked about football a little bit, but we talked about life and other things most of the time.
“It was cool being around the current players too,” Golden continued. I had fun with those guys. I can see myself being at Notre Dame and playing there.”
As the visit came to an end, the versatile lineman reflected upon the fun experiences during his visits at Notre Dame and the transition to the more serious aspect of making a final decision. The remaining two factors will be development and coaching for Golden, and he’s aware of what the Fighting Irish offer in both departments, and beyond the football field.
“Notre Dame offers a lot on and off the field,” Golden shared. “I have a good relationship with coach (Al) Washington that’s grown over time, and we talked about life really. coach (Marcus) Freeman talked more about life and the things Notre Dame can do for you outside of football.
“I thought about it being the end of the fun,” Golden continued. “I remember the first time I got pulled out of class to meet Al Golden. Thinking about the camps, spring game, and visits. The fun is about to end and It’s about to get serious.”
The serious part now begins as the 185th nationally ranked player and his family take time before he begins to ramp up preparation for his senior season to sift through information, conversations and emotions from the long process that led to official visits to Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and Alabama before visiting South Bend. His future home will come from that group of finalists along with the Fighting Irish. More than likely, the decision will be made in the coming weeks with a targeted announcement on August 9th.
Momentum was heavily on the side of the Fighting Irish in the aftermath of his official visit, but as time approaches his announcement, the tea leaves are starting to read more like a photo finish. Golden has been diligent in researching the defensive systems of his four finalists along with inquiring about how each staff plans on developing and using him in their schemes. He’s not leaving any stone unturned.
“I’ve always liked Notre Dame,” Golden said. “I’m going to think about everything. All of the schools have good programs, and the visits were good. I’m doing my homework and when the time comes, I’ll feel good about my decision on August 9th.”
Shaun M. Davis
