Notre Dame outmuscled Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State for the commitment of four-star tight end Ian Premer on Thursday, beating the Big 12 trio to ESPN’s No. 60 prospect in the 2026 class.
Premer, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound recruit from Great Bend, Kansas, is the fifth-ranked tight end in the 2026 ESPN 300. He lands with the Fighting Irish following official visits with each of his four finalists earlier this month, and Premer now stands as the third-ranked pledge in an incoming Notre Dame recruiting class that sits at No. 3 in ESPN’s latest class rankings for the 2026 cycle.
Premer’s commitment continues a torrid run of spring recruiting for Notre Dame and coach Marcus Freeman, who have secured pledges from 11 ESPN 300 prospects since April 1. Defensive backs Khary Adams (No. 29 overall) and Joey O’Brien (No. 103) became the latest high-profile additions to the Irish’s 2026 class with commitments within hours of each other on June 20. With Premer, Notre Dame’s count of 15 top 300 pledges trail only USC (17) for the most nationally.
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A three-sport star at Great Bend (Kansas) High School, Premer projects as a versatile, playmaking tight end. He was credited with 30 receptions for 541 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior last fall, adding 50 tackles and three interceptions on defense. Premer, who held a basketball offer from Kansas State, has also been a multiyear standout with Great Bend’s basketball and baseball programs.
As Premer’s pledge is the latest signal of Notre Dame’s recruiting momentum, the Irish are expected to continue adding pass catchers.
Notre Dame will enter July as front-runners in the recruitments of four-star wide receivers Kaydon Finley, Brayden Robinson and Devin Fitzgerald, all of whom are set to announce their commitments from July 4-6. Finley, No. 114 overall, is the son of former Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley. Fitzgerald’s father is Larry Fitzgerald, the 11-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who spent each of his 17 NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals from 2004 to 2020.
