Projecting Notre Dame's 2026 defensive lineup reveals seasoned stars and emerging talents vying for crucial roles. Who will rise?
After months of speculation we now know what the Notre Dame roster will look like for the 2026 season. Notre Dame has a talented and very deep roster, and the return of a lot of proven production and incoming talent has raised expectations for the Irish.
Let's take a very early, first glance look at the Notre Dame depth chart for the 2026 season. We already talked about the offense, but not we move to the defense.
DEFENSIVE END
Starter: Boubacar Traore (Jr.), Bryce Young (Jr.)
Depth: Keon Keeley (Jr.), Loghan Thomas (Jr.), Dominik Hulak (R-Fr.), Joseph Reiff (R-Fr.), Rodney Dunham (Fr.), Ebenezer Ewetade (Fr.)
Notre Dame should have an outstanding starting lineup on the edge in 2026, as both Traore and Young return. Traore had his breakout in 2025 and there's still plenty of room for him to continue improving his game. Young showed flashes and his breakout is likely coming in 2026. The depth behind that pair of a bit more of a question mark. Keeley has loads of talent and started to come on for Alabama this season, but he still has just three sacks in his career. Notre Dame needs him to turn his immense potential into production. Thomas has also shown flashes in limited minutes, but injuries and a lack of size have prevented him from becoming a rotation regular so far. One of Hulak or Reiff stepping up this spring would be big for the defense, who also welcomes a pair of elite freshmen in Dunham and Ewetade. There is talent, but right now it's still a whole lot more about potential than it is proven production.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Starter: Jason Onye (6th), Francis Brewu (Jr.)
Depth: Tionne Gray (Soph.), Elijah Hughes (Sr.), Armel Mukam (jr.), Cole Mullins (Soph.), Christopher Burgess Jr. (R-Fr.), Sean Sevillano (Soph.), Davion Dixon (R-Fr.), Brenan Vernon (Jr.), Gordy Sulfsted (R-Fr.), Elijah Golden (Fr.), Tiki Hola (Fr.)
This was arguably the biggest question mark on the roster heading into the offseason, but getting Onye back at the nose, landing two talented portal players and the arrival of two talented freshman have restocked the interior. Brewu has to earn a starting role but I expect that to happen, especially after an impressive sophomore season where he earned All-ACC honors. Gray is a massive defender that isn't stuck at nose. He was a space eater for Oregon but he can do a bit more than that. Hughes is a steady player that gives experience and a great motor up the middle. Mukam has loads of talent but needs a strong offseason in order to force himself into the rotation. I could see one of Mullins or Burgess playing on the edge, and my preference would be for Mullins to bump back out. Burgess has loads of potential as a penetrating three-technique.
LINEBACKER
Starter: MLB Drayk Bowen (Sr.), WLB Jaiden Ausberry (Jr.)
Depth: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (Jr.), Jaylen Sneed (5th), Madden Faraimo (Soph.), Kahanu Kia (Jr.), Teddy Rezac (Soph.), Ko'o Kia (R-Fr.), Thomas Davis Jr. (Fr.), Jakobe Clapper (Fr.)
Despite several portal losses the Irish are absolutely loaded at linebacker. Bowen is the leader of the defense and is poised for a huge final season. Ausberry has been incredibly steady and underrated the last two seasons. Viliamu-Asa is coming off a knee injury so I'm not sure when he'll be back to full health, but when he does he'll get back to being a legit playmaker that can line up all over the defense. Sneed returning for a fifth season was huge for the Irish and he's not just a key part of the rotation and potential starter, he'll also be a vital third-down weapon while Viliamu-Asa is out. Faraimo has a great opportunity to earn a spot in the two-deep, and I expect him to show himself to be a future star for the Irish as he continues learning under Bowen.
CORNERBACK
Starter: BC Leonard Moore (Jr.), FC DJ McKinney (5th), NB Christian Gray (Sr.)
Depth: Mark Zackery (Soph.), Dallas Golden (Soph.), Jayden Sanders (Soph.), Khary Adams (Fr.), Ayden Pouncey (Fr.), Chas Smith (Fr.), Nick Reddish (Fr.)
This is another position where Notre Dame is loaded with talent in the starting lineup and depth. Moore is the best cornerback in college football, but he's not alone. I'm projecting Gray into the nickel for now, but a strong offseason from Golden could result in Notre Dame keeping Gray outside. Either way, both Gray and Golden will be very important members of the rotation and Golden is still the future at the position. Landing McKinney and Sanders, along with the return of Zackery and Golden (who can also play outside) gives Notre Dame great depth and the versatility to move Gray inside if that ends up being the best three-man look. Adams, Pouncey and Smith is an elite freshman class and at least one of them could push his way into the two-deep. I'm putting Reddish here because I think he plays nickel as a rookie, but he could also play safety. There is so much elite talent in this room.
SAFETY
Starter: BS Adon Shuler (Jr.), FS Tae Johnson (Soph.)
Depth: Luke Talich (Sr.), Ethan Long (R-Fr.), Brandon Logan (R-Fr.), Joey O'Brien (Fr.)
Notre Dame isn't as deep at safety as it was a year ago but it's still quite loaded. Shuler and Johnson form arguably the best returning safety duo in the country, and Johnson is poised for a true national breakout after earning Freshman All-American honors last season. They are ideal complements of each other from a playing style standpoint. Talich emerged as a vital part of the rotation last season and tied for third on the defense with three interceptions. Long showed potential last season in limited snaps and Logan is coming off an injury, but he is one of the fastest safeties on the depth chart. O'Brien was a five-star signee and he'll be very, very hard to keep off the field.
ABBREVIATIONS
5th - Fifth-year senior
Sr. - Senior Eligibility
Jr. - Junior Eligibility
Soph. - Sophomore eligibility
R-Fr. - Redshirt freshman
Fr. - True Freshman
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