Notre Dame is laying the groundwork for another star-studded recruiting class in South Bend — and just landed a marquee pass-rusher for the haul.

Elite four-star EDGE defender Rodney Dunham committed to the Irish on Thursday from the Charlotte (NC) Myers Park High School gym.

The blue-chipper was in South Bend in late March, which lifted Notre Dame above South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia for the blue-chipper.

“It wasn’t much of a challenge,” Dunham said of the decision.

“Notre Dame checked off the important boxes,” he continued. “That’s what this whole thing was about — finding the best fit, and it was important. What gets me excited is that they can develop me really well — and I can go to the NFL from there. I can also get a pretty good degree and a good job from there and make new connections.”

Marcus Freeman and Al Washington led the charge for the Irish with Dunham, Rivals’ No. 11-rated EDGE defender.

The connections with the staff and the program on and away from the field put Notre Dame in a tier of its own.

“I feel like I fit in well over there. It’s a nice school with a good football program. I enjoyed the visit there, the time on campus,” Dunham explained. “Coach Freeman is a good guy, a great coach, and seeing how he ran practice was good to see. They’ve been recruiting me hard, contacting me every day about how I’m gonna fit on the team, in the school, and from an academic standpoint. I fit in well — it’s a great school with great people and great football.”

“When we talk, it’s not just about football,” Dunham added on his bond with Washington. “It’s normal conversations. We can talk about whatever — whenever. It’s a real relationship. It’s cool — because he’s my future coach. It’s great to also have that personal connection as well.”

South Carolina and Tennessee were setting the pace in the four-star EDGE defender’s recruitment for much of the fall before Notre Dame took a massive step forward during his March visit to South Bend.

“Once I knew, I just knew … After taking my visits and visiting all of the schools in my top five, it came easy. Early on I didn’t know what I wanted from this,” he said. “When I knew and realized, it came pretty easy.”