A Notre Dame target from the Class of 2026 has decided to play college football elsewhere.
McHale Blade, who had offers from USC, Georgia and Florida among many others outside of the Fighting Irish, announced his commitment to Michigan Monday night.The 6-foot-4, 245-pound four-star edge from Simeon (Chicago, IL) received his offer from the Wolverines last May and took his official visit to Ann Arbor the weekend of June 6. But Notre Dame was considered a strong contender for Blade prior to his official visit to Michigan. Obviously Blade’s time was a success for both parties, and the Wolverines are up to eight commitments in the 2026 class.
Blade is ranked No. 5 in the state of Illinois and No. 21 at his position in his class, per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Despite losing out on Blade, the Irish currently have three defensive linemen in the fold for their very strong 2026 class, and they remain in the mix for several top prospects.
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame 2026 edge target McHale Blade chooses the Michigan Wolverines
Reporting by Dave Miller, Fighting Irish Wire / Fighting Irish Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
