Toledo, OH – Preston Fryzel, a 6′4″, 220‑pound tight end from Central Catholic High School, officially pledged to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the 2026 recruiting class. He chose the Golden Domers over multiple power programs, including Iowa, Miami, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Auburn .
Fryzel publicly announced his decision on June 23, tweeting:
His commitment marks Notre Dame’s 20th pledge in 2026 and the second from Ohio, bolstering what is currently ranked the nation’s #3 class (onefootdown.com).
Notre Dame has long cultivated tight ends who can flex out wide and serve both as blockers and big-play threats. Fryzel fits this mold perfectly. Analysts describe him as a “movement” tight end—versatile, athletic, with polished route-running and excellent contested-catch ability (athlonsports.com).
Per Irish Breakdown via Athlon, while Fryzel needs to add strength and refine his blocking for in‐the‐box work, his exceptional long‑range catching ability and agility make him a “perfect complement” to more traditional inline tight ends like 2025 signee James Flanigan (athlonsports.com).
Though rated as a 3‑star by 247 Composite, Oklahoma recruiting analyst Jaime Uyeyama sees immense upside. He likens Fryzel’s potential path to that of Eli Raridon—who made a big leap in senior season rankings and improved to a Top‑100 prospect (onefootdown.com). The comparison to Iowa’s Sam LaPorta, who became a productive NFL TE, only strengthens the case (onefootdown.com).
Recruiting legend Tom Lemming even compared Fryzel’s profile to former Notre Dame TE Tyler Eifert (si.com).
- May 21: Received Notre Dame offer after a visit from GM Mike Martin (i
- June 4: Unofficial visit to South Bend (athlonsports.com)
- June 13–15: Official visit, during which he felt the strongest “home” vibe
- June 23: Public commitment announcement
- Need at TE: With Eli Raridon and Kevin Bauman exiting eligibility, and only Jack Larsen and James Flanigan projected past 2026, adding Fryzel helps fill a critical need
- Versatility boost: His ability to shift from inline blocking to split-outs enhances Marcus Freeman and OC Mike Denbrock’s offensive options (si.com).
- Future signings?: Notre Dame is still pursuing tight ends Ian Premer and Evan Jacobson, but Fryzel may be the lone commit at the position if no others match his unique skill set).
Preston Fryzel’s commitment highlights Notre Dame’s recruiting prowess—landing a high-upside, movement TE from Ohio late in the cycle. He brings receiving talent, growth potential, and positional flexibility, making him an ideal fit for the Irish’s “Tight End U” legacy. The hope: his development echoes the trajectories of Raridon, Eifert, and others—punctuating Notre Dame’s next chapter at the position.
