2026 S Prospect Joey O’Brien Enjoys First Look At Notre Dame

When Dre Brown reached out to express interest in Joey O'Brien‍ recently, the Notre Dame Director of Recruiting invited the 2026 Pennsylvania safety out to South Bend so he could check out the Irish’s practice and the Irish could verify his size.

It’s fair to say both boxes were checked when the La Salle College High School standout showed up on campus on Thursday.

“I really liked how Notre Dame ran their practice,” O’Brien told Irish Sports Daily. “They utilized their time efficiently, while still bringing the energy every moment. 

“It was super intense and the players were competing all day long. The coaches made sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to do and working hard.”

Meanwhile, the Irish were clearly impressed with the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder whose frame has already reminded some of a certain former Notre Dame safety star.

“I met with almost every coach but spent the most time with Coach (Marcus) Freeman, Coach (Al) Golden, Coach (Mike) Mickens, and Carter Auman,” O’Brien said.

“They all expressed interest in having me be a part of the Notre Dame family. We talked about how this is a place where you receive a top-notch education setting you up for success in life after college.”

O’Brien, who has early offers from Duke and Toledo - was impressed with the staff members.

“All the coaches were very cool,” he said. “They were big on building relationships with my family and I. They kept emphasizing what Notre Dame means for my future both short and long term. They were very easy to talk to and I look forward to developing a relationship with them.”

The Philadelphia native plans on returning to South Bend.

“The next step with Notre Dame is me coming back for a game and continuing to strengthen my bond with them throughout my junior year.”

Notre Dame Fighting Irish OHT Military Appreciation Cloud Jersey Desert Quarter-Zip