Notre Dame added one of the more intriguing pieces in its No. 1-ranked 2026 recruiting class when offensive lineman Charlie Thom signed on, and the appeal is pretty clear: he’s huge, long, and still just scratching the surface.
Thom, a native of Darien, Connecticut, spent most of his high school career at tight end before growing out of the spot and moving to offensive line. He arrived at Notre Dame as a 6-7, 280-pound early enrollee this spring, a move that gave him a head start on adding the weight he’ll need to handle the jump to this level. Even now, he’s still expected to keep filling out as the offseason rolls on.
What makes Thom interesting is that he’s not a finished product - far from it - but he already has the kind of frame and movement skills that make coaches dream a little. The source evaluation from National Signing Day called him “a late - and surprising - addition to the Notre Dame class,” and noted that he was something of “an enigma” because of how little offensive line experience he had before his prep school season at Avon Old Farms.
That same evaluation made clear why Notre Dame wanted him anyway. Thom was described as “a long, athletic player that shows the smooth footwork and change of direction skills to thrive at tackle.”
It also said he looked comfortable at tackle quickly, even though he was still learning the position, and that he showed “a lot of fight” in the run game while being “very comfortable in pass pro.” The length is there, the athletic traits are there, and the upside is obvious.
The flip side is just as important. Thom still needs a lot of work, and the evaluation didn’t sugarcoat that.
He has “a lot of room to add weight” and needs “more weight room strength” to go with it. In other words, the tools are real, but the polish is not there yet.
That’s why fall camp is more about development than depth-chart drama. Thom’s timeline is longer than some of the other freshmen in the class, and that was always part of the deal.
He only spent one year of his high school career on the offensive line, so this season is about learning, growing, and getting comfortable in the system. He showed flashes in spring, holding up better against some of Notre Dame’s talented depth pieces, which is a good sign for where this can go.
The challenge now is simple: keep building physically and mentally, and start pushing toward the two-deep in the seasons ahead. That’s a tough ask in what is described as the deepest and most talented offensive line room Marcus Freeman has had at Notre Dame, but Thom’s path is about patience.
For 2026, the expectation is straightforward. He’s likely to spend most of the year working with the scout team and third-team offensive line, competing and learning while setting himself up for a bigger jump next offseason. A good season for Thom would mean noticeable growth across fall camp and the year, with even a chance to see the field against Rice.
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Marcus Freeman has helped calm the noise by indicating there is no current worry about OBriens return, a reassuring update for a player who stood out on both sides of the ball in high school before being penciled in as a defensive piece for the Irish. What still matters now is how quickly he can get back into the rhythm of camp work, because for a freshman with his profile, even a brief interruption can shape how soon he pushes into the conversation on defense. [Read more 🡒]
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Notre Dame Just Teased The Kind Of Opponent Fans Have Missed
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There is also a natural fit in the backdrop of a showcase setting like Madison Square Garden, where a game between these two programs would carry the sort of energy fans still remember. The series has enough history and enough recent success on the UConn side to make the idea appealing, and the possibility of seeing the schools meet again feels like the sort of scheduling note that could linger for a while before anything becomes official. [Read more 🡒]