Coach | Top 2026 Notre Dame DE Target Rodney Dunham Has "Relentless" Drive

Rodney Dunham‍ has narrowed his list to five schools and the 2026 North Carolina edge defender has official visits locked in to each. 

He has cut his list and will take officials to Georgia (April 12th), South Carolina (May 30th), Duke (June 6th), Notre Dame (June 14th) and Tennessee (June 20th).

Myers Park head coach Chris James says the first thing that jumps out about Dunham is his size.

“You're talking about a true 225, 230 pounds,” says James. “Once he gets to college, I think he's going to be a 240, 245-pound kid who can run.”

Dunham is also a tremendous all-around athlete.

“He has played baseball a huge percentage of his life,” says James. “He's been a pitcher, but I mean Rodney is athletic enough, I've seen him in the outfield chase down fly balls. You see what he's able to do with that and how it translates to him playing on defense and being able to get after the quarterback.”

And Dunham adds the right attitude to that size and athleticism.

“Just a kid with obviously relentless effort, but you put relentless effort on top of the kind of body type that he is, the frame that he has, big shoulders, long arms, very strong at the point of attack, you add all those things together and it's a no-brainer as to why he's become a national prospect and why a lot of schools have him very high on their list,” says James.

James says Dunham’s stature at Myers Park in the classroom and on campus is “extremely large” despite being a quiet kid.

“He's a kid who is going to sit at the front of the classroom at every class that he attends,” says James. “He's a really good academic-based student. I think Rodney has a 4.1, 4.2 GPA, so high-academic kid. 

“When he's around his teammates, he slowly starts to come out of his shell. If you see him in the cafeteria with his teammates or any of his friends, he obviously has a personality, but he is still on the quiet side.”

Becoming more vocal is one thing James has challenged Dunham to do this offseason.

“So far he's done that this offseason actually,” the coach says. “I've been very impressed and very proud of what he's been able to do on that side. You know what he can do physically when he is on the football field, but as a leader, as a guy who's being heavily recruited, you want him to be that verbal leader too and he's been able to do that.”

James certainly doesn’t worry about Dunham’s impact being loud enough on the field.

“On the football field, I think there's a different switch,” says James. “A nice quiet, respectful kid turns into the big-time football player, physical guy. He is the type who leads more so by example, he's going to give the extra reps in the weight room, he's going to do what he's supposed to do and then he's going to do even more than that. 

“He does a really good job of showing the guys without telling them, 'Hey, if you want to get to this level, here are the things that you have to do.' And he's still learning what this looks like.”

James saves probably his greatest compliment for later, though.

“If you want a kid that you would want your daughter to date, it's Rodney,” he says. “That sounds cliche, I know a lot of people say that, but he is that.”

Both Dunham, and his teammate 2026 receiver Brody Keefe, have been high targets for the Irish for a while now and the interest is mutual. 

“I think it's the same for both of them,” says James. “I think they have seen what Notre Dame has been traditionally and what they've been over the last few years. Obviously, being able to do what they did this season, making it to the national championship game has been great.”

Head coach Marcus Freeman visited Myers Park shortly after the National Championship Game.

“He was able to sit down and talk with Rodney and Rodney's family and got a chance to talk to me and some of the coaching staff a little bit,” says James. “I think that one-on-one time was super important.”

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