“I can see myself fitting at Notre Dame" — 2026 class LB Noriel Dominguez foresees future, makes impressive comments about Fighting Irish

Noriel Dominguez, a standout prospect from Fort Bend Marshall in Texas, has been one of the hottest names in the 2026 recruiting class. Notre Dame recently offered him a scholarship during their St. Patrick's Day-themed Pot of Gold Day event, and the linebacker has expressed a strong interest in the Fighting Irish program.

In April, Dominguez traveled to South Bend, Indiana, to meet with the Notre Dame coaching staff. His visit included in-depth conversations with several coaches, including head coach Marcus Freeman. During this interaction, Dominguez was able to ask Freeman various questions and receive insightful responses.

“I can see myself fitting at Notre Dame,” Dominguez told Blue & Gold. “They’re a really good school. We just have to see where God leads me in the long run.”

The connection between Dominguez and Notre Dame's coaching staff has continued to grow, as linebacker coach Max Bullough reached out to Dominguez last month to reaffirm the school's enthusiasm for recruiting him. The prospect will not rush his recruitment process, but Notre Dame remains on his priority list.

“I just wanted to keep building that relationship. Because yeah, you get that offer, but is it commitable in the long run? I just wanted to keep building that relationship. They’re definitely on my top list,” he said.

Notre Dame was among the seven schools that contacted Dominguez on June 15, the date when the NCAA permitted programs to initiate contact with recruits. The program will be special for him, and he plans to visit the facility again for a game.

Which programs are in the mix for Noriel Dominguez's pledge?

Noriel Dominguez‍ received offers from multiple programs, including Texas Tech, Arizona State, Arkansas, Florida, Baylor, Cal, Central Florida, Houston, LSU, Nebraska, Notre Dame, SMU, TCU, Texas A&M, Oregon and Texas State. He is keen on evaluating the environment of each potential destination before making his pledge.

“I wanted to see the environment,” Dominguez told Blue & Gold. “I wanted to see what was happening on and off the field. You can search up a school, but it’s different when you actually go there. You could see the history and religion at the school.”

Houston is leading the race with a 40 percent chance of securing Dominguez’s commitment, according to On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine. Texas A&M follows with a 17.9 percent chance, and TCU is also in the mix with a 15.3 percent chance.

According to the On3 Industry Ranking, he is the No. 317 overall prospect, the No. 23 linebacker in the nation and the No. 39 prospect in Texas for the 2026 class. 247 Sports ranks him as the No. 33 linebacker and the No. 61 prospect in the state.

Dominguez's sophomore season in 2023 saw him record 92 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four sacks and four forced fumbles. He also competes in track and field, having run an 11.34 100-meter dash as a freshman.