Notre Dame added two more names to its 2026 recruiting class on Wednesday, bolstering both sides of the ball with the signings of quarterback Teddy Jarrard and placekicker Micah Drescher. With these additions, the Fighting Irish now sit at 30 total signees in a class that ranks No. 5 nationally, according to 247Sports.
Let’s start with Jarrard - a name Irish fans should get familiar with sooner rather than later.
Despite reclassifying from the 2027 class, Jarrard enters as the No. 231 overall prospect and the No. 15 quarterback in the country. That’s no small feat for a player who essentially fast-tracked his development to join the college ranks a year early. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, he’s got the size you like to see in a modern quarterback, and the production backs it up.
Last season at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Georgia, Jarrard posted strong numbers: 176 completions on 271 attempts (65%) for 2,300 yards, along with 18 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Over his high school career, he racked up 7,012 passing yards, 67 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions - with most of those picks coming during his freshman year, a sign of how much he’s grown since then.
Jarrard turned heads last month at the Battle Miami 7-on-7 tournament, where 247Sports recruiting analyst Tom Loy praised his poise, confidence, accuracy, and arm strength - all traits that should translate well to the next level. While he’s not expected to push for the starting job right away, he’ll be stepping into a quarterback room that includes CJ Carr, a legitimate 2026 Heisman Trophy contender, along with Blake Hebert and Noah Grubbs, another freshman and early enrollee.
The plan seems clear: let Jarrard develop behind Carr, and when the time comes - potentially after Carr declares for the 2027 or 2028 NFL Draft - hand him the keys. That’s a luxury few programs have: a talented, high-upside quarterback learning in the shadows before stepping into the spotlight.
Loy summed it up well: “Do I think he is as day-one ready and talented as CJ Carr at this stage right now? No.
Could he do some of the same things once he gets to campus over the next year or two? Absolutely.”
Now, let’s shift to the other side of the ball - special teams - where Notre Dame added some serious leg power in Micah Drescher.
Drescher, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound kicker from Hinsdale, Illinois, comes in ranked as the No. 17 kicker in the class. He was also selected to the Navy All-American Bowl roster, a nod to his national recognition. Originally committed to Michigan, Drescher flipped to Notre Dame after the Wolverines dipped into the transfer portal for Pitt kicker Trey Butkowski.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Drescher explained his decision to withdraw from his National Letter of Intent, thanking Michigan while signaling a fresh start in South Bend.
At Notre Dame, he’ll be joining a kicker room that already includes Erik Schmidt, who took over both kickoff and placekicking duties after Noah Burnette went down with an injury, and Spencer Porath, the former Purdue kicker who went 15-for-17 on field goals last season. That depth gives Drescher time to develop - and likely redshirt - in 2026.
Make no mistake, though: the talent is there. According to Irish Illustrated’s Tim Prister, Drescher has a “powerful leg” and a **“kicking style that explodes on contact.”
** There’s been some inconsistency in his run-up - occasionally using a four-yard approach, which is too long for college tempo - but the raw power is undeniable. On one kick, he drilled a 47-yarder with just a two-and-a-half-yard run-up, showing he doesn’t need much space to launch it.
With Jarrard and Drescher now officially in the fold, Notre Dame’s 2026 class is shaping up to be one of the most well-rounded and promising in the Marcus Freeman era. From a potential future starter under center to a high-upside leg on special teams, the Irish are building not just for this fall - but for the seasons beyond.
And with 28 players already signed during the early period, this February Signing Day was more about fine-tuning than filling holes. But if these two additions are any indication, the Irish are doing more than just adding depth - they’re stacking talent.