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Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame coaching staff continue to stay busy with spring practices and recruiting efforts. On Wednesday and Thursday, they welcomed one of their top 2026 prospects, four-star defensive lineman Elijah Golden from Cardinal Mooney High School in Virginia.
This was Golden's fourth visit to Notre Dame, and he once again left with a positive impression.
“I had a great time spending time with the coaches, players and staff," Golden told On3. "I was able to dive deep into the school and talk to the counselors.”
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Golden is the No. 24 defensive lineman in the 2026 class and the No. 33 recruit in Florida, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. While football remained a key focus, he also took time to explore the academic side of the program during his visit.
“I learned more about the academics, how the academics work," Golden said. “I feel like academics are very big over there and academics are very big for me. The classroom setting is not as big as you would think. Of course you have a few classes that are big sizes, but the setting is not as big.”
Golden began his high school career at King George in Virginia, then transferred to IMG Academy in Florida for his sophomore year before moving to Cardinal Mooney.
Notre Dame continues to prioritize Elijah Golden
Elijah Golden made several visits to Notre Dame in 2024 and even received a crystal ball prediction to the Irish from 247 Sports' Tom Loy back in June. On Feb. 4, defensive line coach Al Washington and Carter Auman, an assistant to the general manager, visited Cardinal Mooney to check in on Golden.
“They're very consistent in recruiting me," Golden told the Irish Sports Daily in March. "Talking to me on a daily basis and…showing that I have a top priority for them.”
During last week's trip, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound prospect strengthened his bond with Washington and defensive line assistant Nick Sebastian.
“They see me fitting in with my leadership,” Golden said. “I bring that fire and that aggression to the team. I feel like that's just me as a character. I feel like it's me bringing my talent and my leadership to the team.”
If Golden ends up with the Irish, he will be the first defensive lineman commit in their 2026 class, which ranks No. 5 in the nation (per On3) with 11 committed players.
