Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and offensive line coach Joe Rudolph were after the recruitment of four-star offensive tackle Grayson McKeogh from the 2026 class. Their efforts proved fruitful with his commitment to the Irish on June 18.Speaking with On3 on Tuesday, the La Salle College (Glenside, Pennsylvania) standout shared why he chose the Irish over his home-state option, Penn State. He said:"I knew that was where I wanted to be. I knew there wasn’t going to be anything that could change that." McKeogh is the No. 14 offensive tackle in the 2026 class, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings. He began his high school career as a defensive lineman, but that changed when Brett Gordon took over the team. Together with veteran offensive line coach Mark Schmidt, they recognized McKeogh's potential on the offensive line."It is funny how this worked out, because I saw myself in the NBA, and it was Coach Gordon who spoke to me about this move to offensive tackle,” McKeogh told Inquirer. “I can look back and say that meeting changed my life. It’s really true."I did have some questions because it meant playing a third different position in three years. Coach Schmidt and Coach Gordon made the point that there weren’t many 6-8 bigs in the NBA anymore. They told me I had a better chance of one day playing in the NFL as a left tackle. They explained their reasons why the move was in my best interest."Grayson McKeogh is also the No. 5 recruit in Pennsylvania.Grayson McKeogh praises Notre Dame coaching staff's unmatched energyBeing an in-state recruit, Grayson McKeogh had the potential to choose James Franklin's Penn State, which hosted him four times throughout his recruitment. However, he told Blue & Gold that he ultimately committed to Notre Dame, saying the program was “the best fit” due to its enthusiastic coaching staff."These guys are really energetic, outgoing, and personable," McKeogh told the Irish Illustrated. "One of the biggest things I can say about them is they are considerate on a more personal level."Besides McKeogh, Notre Dame's 2026 class features two other Pennsylvania natives: four-star safety Joey O'Brien and four-star interior offensive lineman Tyler Merrill. The Irish have 26 committed players in the cycle, ranking No. 3 in the nation.