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"They're a top school for me": Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame earns praise from four-star RB after weekend's visit
Marcus Freeman and his Notre Dame staff, including running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, have made four-star running back Brian Bonner a key target in the 2026 recruiting class.
The standout from Valencia High School (California) visited South Bend over the weekend and came away impressed.
“They're ranking on my list went up a lot," Bonner told Irish Sports Daily. "They're a top school for me and I want to keep building my relationship with the coaches and keep learning more about them.”
Bonner is the No. 7 running back in the 2026 class and the No. 12 recruit in California, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He had an outstanding junior season in 2024, rushing for 1,493 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding 500 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns and two kickoff return scores.
Freeman, having been a highly sought-after recruit himself, relates well to elite prospects like Bonner.
“He (Freeman) was talking about their program and just talking to me about more than just football; telling me that Notre Dame is not just about football,” Bonner said.
“You can get a good education there and there's a whole bunch more to learn. He's a very genuine coach. I just really like the way he runs his team and operates.”
If Bonner commits to the Irish, he will be their first running back commit in the 2026 class, which ranks No. 13 in the nation with seven committed players.
Brian Bonner plans to set an official visit to Notre Dame
Brian Bonner told On3 that he could be a dynamic player in Notre Dame’s offense. With the strong connection he has with the Irish, his next move is to plan an official visit to South Bend.
“I don't have that date yet, but I want to get everything set up because I would like to go back for an official,” Bonner told Irish Sports Daily. “I'll take my other officials to my other schools and then from there, I'll kind of know where I want to go and then make my decision."
Some other schools in the mix for Bonner's recruitment are Auburn, Washington, Nebraska, Penn State, Oregon, Michigan, UCLA, Oklahoma, Tennessee and USC.
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