Notre Dame football has turned South Bend, Indiana into a defensive back hot spot this June. The Fighting Irish bolstered their DB room not once, but twice on Friday. All while running laps around Oregon and Penn State in landing these recruits.

Notre Dame pulled in top 10 cornerback Khary Adams to start its Friday. Yet the Irish weren't through. Five-star safety Joey O'Brien joined the Irish's college football recruiting class nearly six hours later.

Adams turned down Oregon and Penn State in his final running of schools. Hayes Fawcett of On3 revealed the 6-foot-5 O'Brien turned down both programs too in making his verbal decision. Clemson was also in the running.

“IRISH SPRING GREEN GREEN,” O'Brien shared to Fawcett in making his verbal decision.

Notre Dame adding DB compared to NFL Pro Bowler 

Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) runs the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) and defensive lineman Bryce Young (30) move in during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

O'Brien is more than a five-star addition to head coach Marcus Freeman and ND.

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The Irish are bringing in a defender drawing comparisons to NFL Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons. Andrew Ivins of 247Sports dropped this evaluation of the ultra-talented safety.

“Lanky perimeter playmaker with the athleticism and ball skills to make an impact wherever he lines up at the next level,” Ivins began. “Viewed by some college coaches as a defensive back and others as a wide receiver. But ceiling appears to be highest as a coverage ace that can shade passing windows and create takeaways, which he has done time and time again at marquee 7-on-7 events.”

Ivins adds that O'Brien brings: “Mature field awareness” and how his zone discipline “constantly shows up on defense.”

O'Brien and Adams add to a growing 2026 class for the national title game runner-ups. The Irish boosted the offensive line with four-star Grayson McKeogh committing June 18. They also enhanced the future backfield by grabbing four-stars Jaivan Osborne and Jonaz Walton.

Now the DB room features a future shutdown CB (Adams) and towering hitter from Philadelphia (O'Brien).