## Golden Boy Picks Green: Top Recruit Commits to Notre Dame

Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney defensive lineman Elijah Golden has chosen Notre Dame, bolstering the Fighting Irish's 2026 recruiting class with a major coup. Golden, a four-star prospect, selected Notre Dame over Alabama, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech after being pursued relentlessly by the Irish coaching staff. 

**Golden's Choice:**
"It’s definitely the consistency of how they talk to me and the love that they show," Golden previously told Rivals about Notre Dame's appeal. "I like the fanbase; their fanbase is crazy. Every time I post something, they show me a lot of love. The coaches show me a lot of love too, and I love all the coaches there. They are great guys and great coaches."

Defensive line coaches Al Washington and Nick Sebastian were instrumental in securing Golden's commitment. “They’ve been rocking with me since my freshman year when Al Golden was there,” Golden shared. "I talk to Coach Washington the most but it’s really the whole staff…Coach Sebastian is a very funny guy; I can tell you that. And he can get very technical.”

**A Love Affair with South Bend:**
Golden visited Notre Dame five times, culminating in an official visit during the weekend of June 20.  He also made trips to South Bend in the spring and twice during the 2024 offseason. The Irish initiated contact with Golden before his sophomore year, inviting him to a prospect camp in June 2023. "The photoshoot was a highlight, but also the first day when all the recruits had an introduction — we walked out with a song, and everyone was hyping us up,” Golden said about his official visit. “That was pretty cool.”

His commitment marks Notre Dame's 27th pledge for the 2026 class and fourth defensive line recruit, joining Rodney Dunham, Tiki Hola, and Ebenezer Ewetade. With Golden now on board, 27 of the 28 prospects who visited for official visits in June have committed to the Irish.

**A Star on the Rise:**
Golden's impressive performance last season earned him MaxPreps second-team junior All-America honors. He recorded 61 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 8 quarterback hurries, and a pass breakup in 11 games. His athleticism extends beyond football, as he competed in wrestling as a junior.  Golden's high school journey has taken him from Virginia to IMG Academy in Florida before landing at Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney, where his coach, Jared Clark, played for Notre Dame in the early 2000s.






## Golden Boy Picks Green: Top Recruit Commits to Notre Dame

Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney defensive lineman Elijah Golden has chosen Notre Dame, bolstering 

Blue and gold News

Four-star DL Elijah Golden commits to Notre Dame football over Alabama and Oklahoma