CLASS IMPACT: Notre Dame Lands Talented Tight End Ian Premer
Notre Dame remains on fire by landing a commitment from 2026 tight end Ian Premer. The Great Bend (Kan.) High School star picked Notre Dame over Kansas State and Iowa State, giving the other another commitment from one of the nation's best players.
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Let's break down how this commitment impacts the Notre Dame 2026 class and the Irish depth chart.
NOTRE DAME CLASS IMPACT
Premer is the 22nd player to commit to Notre Dame in the 2026 class. He's the 13th offensive player to commit to the Fighting Irish in this class and he's the second tight end, joining Ohio standout Preston Fryzel.
Notre Dame signed one of the nation's best tight ends in the 2025 class by landing James Flanigan. The Irish also signed a four-star tight end in the 2024 class by landing Jack Larsen. Notre Dame tried to land a second tight end in the 2025 class but ultimately landed only one. The loss of Eli Raridon and Kevin Bauman after the 2025 season, and possibly Ty Washington and Cooper Flanagan after the following season, the Irish are overall thin on numbers, which is why a second tight end was a must in this class.
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Landing Fryzel and Premer gives the Notre Dame two of the best pass catching tight ends in the country. Flanigan is more of a throwback tight end that can do a ton of damage attached and can also move around. Notre Dame needed a complementary skillset in the 2026 class and both Premer and Fryzel provide that.
Premer is also a Top 50 national player, so landing one of the nation's best pass catchers and top ranked players provides even more momentum for the Irish in the 2026 class.
NOTRE DAME FIT
Notre Dame's best tight ends over the last 20 years have all been different players, but the majority of them have been impact pass catchers first and foremost. Premer is that kind of weapon, one that can develop into a dominant pass catcher at the next level. He can line up attached, but he can do damage all over, and his game is arguably even better suited to move around and line up outside and in the slot. Landing a player with dual-threat ability that can also impact the run game is also ideal. Right now Premer is a work in progress in the run game, but even there his potential to impact the offense is quite high.
FILM ANALYSIS
Premer is listed at 6-5 and 225 pounds and his frame is impressive. He has long arms - which gives him an elite catch radius - and he has the frame to add a lot of strength and good weight. I don't know if he'll fill out quite as much as Kyle Rudolph, but overall his frame reminds me a lot of the former Notre Dame standout tight end. Premer is a basketball player in high school, so that helps keep his weight down, but once he stops playing basketball in the offseason he'll fill out quickly.
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This is a long striding athlete that can really run. Premer covers a lot of ground and shows the speed to be a home run threat at the next level. He explodes off the ball and quickly gets to top speed, which also shows up when he makes the catch and runs away from defenders. But his second gear makes him a big play weapon, and that speed translates to the next level quite nicely.
If you want an idea of the kind of athlete Premer is, watch him running the ball out of the backfield, where he's planting vertically on outside zone and creasing the defense. His foot quickness is impressive and allows him to get clean breaks coming out of his top ends. On top of having the athletic skill to be a good route runner, Premer also shows a good understanding of how to win as a route runner. He'll pick the Notre Dame route tree up in a hurry. His athleticism also helps him make defenders miss after the catch, making him a legit after the catch weapon as well. Mike Denbrock likes to run tight end screens, and Premer should thrive in those concepts thanks these traits.
Premer has impressive ball skills. On top of having a big catch radius he does a great job of attacking the football and catching it away from his body. He tracks the deep ball extremely well and he shows the body control you want and need to be a highly effective contested catch player. His length, fast hands and aggressiveness going after the ball combine with his speed to make him a matchup nightmare once the ball is in the air. Once he gets stronger he'll be one of those "just throw it up to him" kind of weapons.
Premer is a willing blocker and that will eventually be a strength, especially when working on the perimeter. As he adds more strength I expect this to become at least an area where he's good, but there's potential for it to become a strength.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
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