The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are making serious noise on the recruiting trail this spring. After a massive week of commitments, Marcus Freeman's squad has surged into the top five of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings—a spot that signals this class is something special.

Just a few days ago, Notre Dame sat at No. 10 nationally with 14 early commits. It was a solid group, but it lacked the kind of elite star power that separates good classes from great ones. That changed quickly.

Earlier in the week, the Irish landed a huge commitment from five-star offensive tackle Oluwasemilore Olubobola out of St. Peter's (NJ). He chose Notre Dame over Miami, Texas A&M, and more than 20 other Power 4 offers. That single pledge pushed the Irish up to No. 8.

But they weren't done. Thursday brought another addition in touted offensive tackle Jackson Hill, and Friday capped off the week in style when five-star defensive lineman David Folorunsho put on a Notre Dame hat and committed to the Irish. Rivals ranks Folorunsho as the No. 9 overall player and No. 2 defensive lineman in the class. He picked Notre Dame over Texas Tech, Michigan, Georgia, Miami, and dozens of others.

Folorunsho's commitment vaulted Notre Dame past Miami into the No. 5 spot nationally. If that holds, it would mark the first time in the modern recruiting era that the Irish have signed back-to-back top-five classes.

So how did Notre Dame win out for a player of his caliber? It came down to relationships and early identification. Folorunsho was one of the biggest rankings risers this spring, but the Irish had already built a strong foundation. He visited campus twice in the fall, and his high school head coach Tom Zbikowski, school president Dan Santucci, and personal trainer Kerry Neal all played football in South Bend.

"The people that are around me," Folorunsho told Rivals' Steve Wiltfong. "I know what Notre Dame has done for them over their lifetime. Just knowing that, knowing everything Notre Dame offers, you can't go away from that. You can't turn that down."

With 17 commitments now in the fold and official visits set to begin later this month, the Fighting Irish are building a class that could define Freeman's tenure. For fans looking to rep their team's rising stars, now is the perfect time to gear up in Notre Dame apparel and be part of something big.