Notre Dame’s 2026 recruiting class could be the best in program history.
That says a lot.
Safety Joey O’Brien was arguably the headliner of the haul, and expectations followed him to South Bend after a dominant senior season.
The 6-foot-5, 198-pound defensive back consistently delivered big performances. During the 7-on-7 season, O’Brien set an OT7 record with 11 interceptions and later capped his high school career in dramatic fashion, recording three interceptions in the final four minutes to secure a state championship.
Despite the accolades, including the 2025 Jim Henry Award, O’Brien understands that his high school résumé means very little now that he’s part of the Notre Dame program.
“Since I'm here, it's kind of just, ‘What do I gotta do to play? What do I gotta do to get on the field?” stated O’Brien. “Coming into such a stacked safety group, it's kind of just I have to humble myself and be like, ‘OK, wait for my shot. These guys are really good.’ I'm not just gonna come in and play right away. I've got to wait my turn when I get in and take advantage of my moments.”
To put himself in a position when those moments come, O’Brien has leaned into learning from a veteran safety room that includes Brauntae Johnson, Adon Shuler and Luke Talich, while also practicing alongside one of the nation’s most talented cornerback groups.
“I would say that just hearing them talk to me, just seeing what they do, hearing what they say to me,” O’Brien said of why he believes he can play in a loaded room. “It's a great feeling having them as my leaders because they've done it. They're All-Americans. They're gonna go play in the NFL. So just following their lead, listening to what they've gotta do and I can be right there with them.”
The Pennsylvania native has also experienced a role reversal.
In high school, O’Brien was the face of the program. Now, he’s the newcomer trying to learn the system and find his place.
The transition hasn’t been easy, but the veterans in the secondary have helped make the adjustment smoother.
“It's good,” explained O’Brien. “It's a little hard learning the playbook, but it helps when I have four other guys with me. Well, five. All the freshmen, and then DJ [McKinney] and Jayden Sanders.
“We'll all go on Mondays, Wednesdays and learn the playbook. Just extra work so we know we're not looking crazy on the field.”
O’Brien also understands the recent history of Notre Dame’s secondary and what’s possible for a freshman.
Former Irish star Kyle Hamilton burst onto the scene in 2019, recording four interceptions as a freshman, including a pick-six on his sixth play ever inside Notre Dame Stadium.
Notre Dame’s secondary looked much different then, but O’Brien has studied Hamilton’s game and believes his own ball skills could allow him to make a similar impact.
“I would just say that my ball skills are really good,” O’Brien said. “I can catch the ball. I'm coming into a defense that gets interceptions and takeaways and that's what I do. I feel like with my skill set, I can definitely fit in perfectly in the defense.”
Physically, O’Brien is already making strides.
When he arrived in January, Notre Dame’s nutrition staff set a goal for him to gain 13 pounds during the spring. As of last week, he was just two pounds away from reaching that mark.
Next up is spring practice and continuing to master defensive coordinator Chris Ash’s system.
“In the film room, we're not just learning the coverages,” O’Brien explained. “We're learning the whole defense. I would say just my communication with everything. Just kind of getting guys lined up and saying what they're supposed to do and stuff like that. That would be a big part for me to work on.
“In high school, I just had to set up the DBs. Now, making sure linebackers are in the gaps, front and all that stuff.”
O’Brien had the opportunity to attend nearly any program in the country, but he chose Notre Dame despite a crowded depth chart.
For him, the decision came down to belief in himself and embracing the challenge.
“Of course I want to play, but I feel like anywhere you go, everybody's good,” said O’Brien. “It kind of just comes down to trusting yourself and just taking a chance on yourself. If you don't have confidence in yourself that you're going to be able to play at some point, you're not ready to play at this level.
“It wasn't really like, ‘Ah, there's a bunch of guys in front of me.’ I'm thinking in my head, ‘Yeah, hopefully I'll be able to beat them out. I can beat them out. I'm skilled enough. But if I don't, I'm still going to get a shot.’”
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