Lucky Charms: Details on 2026 four-star tight end and Notre Dame target JC Anderson, more

Here are today’s Lucky Charms, a Monday-Thursday insider notes article on Notre Dame football recruiting.

*** Aside from Deuce Knight talk and the Irish working on a couple linebackers and receivers in the 2025 class, it’s a quiet month for news on the Notre Dame recruiting front, although those 2025 class items are massive. While a top-10 list for a 2026 class prospect isn’t jaw dropping, it does provide us time to highlight a notable prospect. On Wednesday, Decatur (Ill.) Mt. Zion’s JC Anderson, the No. 144 overall recruit and No. 6 tight end in the country according to the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking, narrowed down his recruitment to Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida State, Illinois, LSU, North Carolina, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and Texas.

Anderson has visited Notre three times already — including most recently on June 10 to camp with offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Denbrock — and he’s been to Illinois a reported five times. He talks with Denbrock specifically about twice per month and is most likely communicating with some other staffers here and there as well. Anderson will visit Notre Dame for a game this fall. And based on how Anderson’s junior year goes, we could see a big push from the Irish.

I’ll be very curious if Notre Dame takes two tight ends in the 2026 class after two consecutive cycles of taking one per. Brian Kelly often took two tight ends in a class, but that doesn’t seem to be the norm for Marcus Freeman.

As of now, my best guess will be that the Irish will be on the outside looking in for Anderson when it comes crunch time in his process, but the next few months will be pivotal.

*** Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian’s Deshonne Redeaux, the nation’s No. 67 overall player and No. 7 running back per the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking, announced a top-12 schools list that included USC, UCLA, Washington, Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State and Oklahoma. The four-star recruit announced an offer from the Irish back in March, and to be completely honest, I’m surprised Notre Dame made this top group. I will be shocked if Notre Dame stays in contention much longer. I don’t believe the two parties are in much contact to be honest.

*** Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne’s Kenneth Goodwin, the No. 213 recruit and No. 18 linebacker in the country according to the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking, is a prospect who is keeping in consistent communication with the Notre Dame staff. He tells Blue & Gold that the Irish are one of the schools he’s talking with the most and chats regularly with defensive coordinator Al Golden and linebackers coach Max Bullough. He’s hoping to get out to South Bend this fall, which would be a return trip, as Goodwin loved his trip to campus in April. Goodwin will be one to watch.

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