"I was always a bandwagon fan": Four-star 2026 class OT high on Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame

Four-star offensive tackle Kennedy Brown is among the nation’s top prospects. The standout from Kingwood High School (Texas) remains a priority target for Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame, and he holds the Fighting Irish in high regard.

"I always liked Notre Dame growing up when I was in Indiana, I was always a bandwagon fan," Brown told 247Sports on Tuesday.

Brown is the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2026 class, the No. 4 recruit in Texas and the No. 21 prospect in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

As a sophomore in the 2024 season, Brown started every game at right tackle, playing 602 snaps while allowing just one sack and zero pressures. His performance earned him first-team all-district honors, and his coaches have praised his growing leadership as he enters his junior year.

Brown has been active this offseason, both in training and on the recruiting trail. He visited Texas A&M on March 22 and has several more spring visits scheduled, including stops at Texas (March 31), Clemson (April 2), Georgia (April 3), Alabama (April 4), Duke (April 5), Oregon (April 17) and USC (April 19).

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What Notre Dame football will need to secure Kennedy Brown's commitment?

Kennedy Brown just completed his sophomore season and is in no rush to make the announcement of his commitment. While he hasn’t named any top schools yet, he has clear priorities for his decision.

"What I am mostly looking for in my future program is the environment, how the player coach relationships are, football, academics, great energy from my surrounding teammates."

Notre Dame fits his criteria, but the Irish haven’t emerged as a frontrunner in his recruitment. As of now, Texas is considered the favorite, with a 65.6% chance of landing his commitment, per On3. Other major contenders in his recruitment include Houston, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Michigan and Tennessee.

The next step for Notre Dame will be getting Brown on campus for a visit. The Irish have yet to secure a commitment in the 2027 class but are actively pursuing multiple four-star offensive tackles, including Jake Hildebrand, Cameron Wagner and Cooper Hackett.