2026 DE McHale Blade Recaps Lastest Notre Dame Visit
2026 Simeon (Ill.) defensive end McHale Blade has been a frequent visitor to Notre Dame this offseason as he’s made multiple stops at Notre Dame.
Yet, the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder was back on campus for Notre Dame’s Grill and Chill event on Thursday.
The emphasis of visit wasn’t about recruiting, fits into the scheme or anything serious, but rather building relationships and having fun to end the summer.
“The energy today was pretty fun,” stated Blade. “I had great conversations with Coach Washington and we’re both excited for this upcoming football season.”
Blade, who transferred to Simeon this offseason, will team up with 2025 Notre Dame defensive end Chris Burgess to cause major headaches for Chicagoland offensive lines.
On Thursday, Blade was able to mix it up with several other Notre Dame commits and top targets to get an even better feel of who he could be playing with if he decided to play for the blue and gold.
The recruits were able to play backyard games for most of the day, which also turned into some heated competition at times.
“Hanging out with the other recruits and commits was fun,” stated Blade. “We got to compete and go at each other for a while.”
At this point, Blade has a good feel for the staff and the culture at Notre Dame after seeing the program in multiple settings.
Blade will now turn his focus to his junior season and plans to return to South Bend in the fall.
“I’ll definitely be back for a game,” said Blade.”
Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
