Mario Cristobal and Miami suffer hard blow as 6’4" 2026 class recruit ditches Hurricanes to pick Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame

On Sunday, Mario Cristobal had just landed the commitment of four-star edge Asharri Charles, who turned down offers from Florida, Missouri and others. But on Monday, the Hurricanes received a shocker as tight end Preston Fryzel flipped to Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame.

The recent development comes after Fryzel's trip to South Bend in early June, which proved crucial in his latest decision.

"The Golden Standard chose me, South Bend I'm Home Go Irish!!" Fryzel told On3' Hayes Fawcett.

Fryzel is the No. 40-ranked tight end in the Class of 2026 and holds the No. 30 rank in Ohio, according to On3 Industry Rankings.

"Honestly, it just felt like home,” Fryzel told Blue & Gold before publicizing his commitment. “It was different from every other visit I’ve been on. Every other visit I’ve been on, there was always that, ‘They were good, but.’ There was no but for Notre Dame. It just felt right for me. It’s different.”

Freeman's Notre Dame is on a recruiting spree, attracting top-end recruits from across the nation.

"They're getting all their targets, Josh," On3's insider Mike Singer said in an interview with Josh Newberg on Sunday. "This is a run for Notre Dame that we have not seen before. ... Notre Dame is pretty much getting all of their top targets right now.

According to Singer, the Fighting Irish have had a successful recruiting spree this season compared to the Class of 2025. During last season's recruiting program, a lot of recruits either flipped or decommitted.

Mario Cristobal lands 2026 LB Justin Edwards as he flips from Scarlet Knights

No. 1 prospect Jackson Cantwell is serving as a linchpin to Mario Cristobal's program, attracting talent from across the nation. Over the weekend, three-star linebacker Justin Edwards flipped his commitment from the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, just after 12 days of committing to that program, and landed on the Hurricanes' roster.

"Coming to the 305🌴," Edwards told On3's Hayes Fawcett following his announcement.

Edwards is the No. 53 linebacker in the 2026 class and holds No. 92 in Florida, according to On3 Industry rankings. As a junior at Edgewater High, he registered 52 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

"The coaching staff, the players, environment, you know, I’m a Florida boy, so it feels like home,” Edwards told On3. “What made me want to commit was how well I fit into the scheme, and when we were at coach Mario Cristobal’s house, that’s when I really felt like this is home. Also, how much I bonded with the players too."

Presently, aside from Cantwell, Mario Cristobal's 2026 class consists of 16 commits, including Jordan Campbell, Jaelen Waters and Jontavius Wyman.

Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.