Notre Dame Misses Out on Top Tight End Recruit

Seneca Driver chooses Oklahoma over Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Despite Notre Dame's recent recruiting success and status as one of the top college football programs, the Fighting Irish missed out on landing four-star tight end Seneca Driver, who committed to the Oklahoma Sooners instead. This was a frustrating loss for head coach Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame program.

Why it matters

Recruiting top talent is crucial for maintaining a competitive college football program, and missing out on a highly touted prospect like Seneca Driver is a setback for Notre Dame as they aim to continue their recent run of success under Marcus Freeman.

The details

Seneca Driver, a four-star tight end in the class of 2027, was expected to visit Notre Dame in the coming weeks but ultimately chose to commit to the Oklahoma Sooners. This was a surprise to many recruiting experts, as the Sooners were not considered the frontrunners for Driver's commitment.

  • Driver was scheduled to visit Notre Dame in the next couple of weeks before committing to Oklahoma.

The players

Seneca Driver

A four-star tight end in the class of 2027 who committed to the Oklahoma Sooners over Notre Dame.

Marcus Freeman

The head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.

Tony Driver

Seneca Driver's uncle, who played for Notre Dame a couple of decades ago.

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The takeaway

Notre Dame's inability to land Seneca Driver, a top tight end prospect, is a frustrating setback for the program as they look to maintain their status as one of the nation's elite college football teams under head coach Marcus Freeman.