Notre Dame football sent out its first five offers to tight ends in the 2026 recruiting class on Pot of Gold Day, but the Irish are continuing to invite prospects to campus and evaluate them in person as potential offers down the road.
Sam Hamilton, a tight end prospect out of Cinncatni (Ohio) Moeller, visited campus on Monday. Hamilton camped at Notre Dame last summer and was invited back to check out spring practice and get a deeper look at Notre Dame’s campus and football program.
Per Rivals, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Hamilton is a three-star recruit. He is ranked as the No. 16 player in Ohio for the 2026 class and was listed as a prospect now on the radar by Rivals national recruiting analyst @Greg Smith after performing well at January’s National Underclassmen Combine in San Antonio.
I spoke with Hamilton following his visit to get his latest thoughts on the Irish, offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Mike Denbrick, plus his conversations with a Moeller teammate who is signed with Notre Dame.
On why he returned to South Bend:
"The reason I wanted to come back to Notre Dame is because [head] coach [Marcus] Freeman really wanted me to come back and I'm interested in Notre Dame as a football program and school," Hamilton told Inside ND Sports. "Because I feel like if I get into Notre Dame, I will not only be ready to go to the next level for football but also for my life. It's just really prestigious and it's a very nice school and all around, [it's] what I want."
On coach Denbrock:
"Coach Denbrock really cares about his players and he wants the best for them but he'll also get on them. If they make a mistake, he will tell them what to do and cheer them back on. I got to see what it'd be like to be coached by him ... getting to see that really elevates Notre Dame on my radar. That's what I want in a coach. I want a coach that will drive me to be the best player and best person I can possibly be."
On conversations with Meoller teammate and 2024 CB signee Karson Hobbs:
"He told me you need to be tough in the classroom, in your faith and in football. Learning that from Karson and him teaching me some of the things that I need to know and some of the little extra things is helpful. Notre Dame is high on my list of schools right now and he's really sold it out on me ... and I got to see what it's really like being a Notre Dame football player today."
Hamilton has three early offers from Kentucky, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo, and is receiving additional interest from schools including Coastal Carolina, Wisconsin, Stanford and Tennessee. Hamilton is expected to be at Ohio State for an unofficial visit on Tuesday.
Link to full story:
notredame.rivals.com
Sam Hamilton, a tight end prospect out of Cinncatni (Ohio) Moeller, visited campus on Monday. Hamilton camped at Notre Dame last summer and was invited back to check out spring practice and get a deeper look at Notre Dame’s campus and football program.
Per Rivals, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Hamilton is a three-star recruit. He is ranked as the No. 16 player in Ohio for the 2026 class and was listed as a prospect now on the radar by Rivals national recruiting analyst @Greg Smith after performing well at January’s National Underclassmen Combine in San Antonio.
I spoke with Hamilton following his visit to get his latest thoughts on the Irish, offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Mike Denbrick, plus his conversations with a Moeller teammate who is signed with Notre Dame.
On why he returned to South Bend:
"The reason I wanted to come back to Notre Dame is because [head] coach [Marcus] Freeman really wanted me to come back and I'm interested in Notre Dame as a football program and school," Hamilton told Inside ND Sports. "Because I feel like if I get into Notre Dame, I will not only be ready to go to the next level for football but also for my life. It's just really prestigious and it's a very nice school and all around, [it's] what I want."
On coach Denbrock:
"Coach Denbrock really cares about his players and he wants the best for them but he'll also get on them. If they make a mistake, he will tell them what to do and cheer them back on. I got to see what it'd be like to be coached by him ... getting to see that really elevates Notre Dame on my radar. That's what I want in a coach. I want a coach that will drive me to be the best player and best person I can possibly be."
On conversations with Meoller teammate and 2024 CB signee Karson Hobbs:
"He told me you need to be tough in the classroom, in your faith and in football. Learning that from Karson and him teaching me some of the things that I need to know and some of the little extra things is helpful. Notre Dame is high on my list of schools right now and he's really sold it out on me ... and I got to see what it's really like being a Notre Dame football player today."
Hamilton has three early offers from Kentucky, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo, and is receiving additional interest from schools including Coastal Carolina, Wisconsin, Stanford and Tennessee. Hamilton is expected to be at Ohio State for an unofficial visit on Tuesday.
Link to full story:
InsideNDSports - 2026 TE prospect Sam Hamilton discusses Notre Dame visit, Mike Denbrock
2026 TE prospect Sam Hamilton recaps Notre Dame football visit and describes interest moving forward.
notredame.rivals.com
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