Notre Dame safeties boast an elite starting duo and incredible depth. Discover who makes the cut in Notre Dame's projected 2026 unit.
Notre Dame is no stranger to putting talented safeties on the field, or having one of the nation's best safety groups. That should continue in 2026, as the Irish will have not only one of the nation's best starting safety tandems, but one of the deepest rooms in the country.
There's a new position coach on the back end of the defense, but Aaron Henry (secondary coach) and Jevaughn Codlin (safeties) have a loaded and experienced group to work with.
Let's continue our depth chart projections with a look at the safeties.
PROJECTED SAFETY DEPTH CHART
RETURNING PRODUCTION
Adon Shuler - 53 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 INT, 5 break ups, 2 forced fumbles
Tae Johnson - 48 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 4 INT, 3 break ups, 1 TD
Luke Talich - 25 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 3 INT, 3 break ups
Ethan Long - 3 tackles, 1 INT
WHAT WAS LOST
Notre Dame returns three of its top four safeties from last season, with Jalen Stroman (37 tackles, 1 INT) being the only rotation regular to depart. Despite the return of much of last year's rotation, the Irish did suffer some losses to the depth chart, with the biggest being talented freshman JaDon Blair, who transferred to Missouri. Notre Dame also lost Taebron Bennie-Powell (Boise State), although he was likely always going to be buried on the depth chart.
ELITE STARTING DUO
Notre Dame returns arguably the best safety tandem in the country with Adon Shuler and Tae Johnson returning. If the pair shows the growth expected of them they could be the best safety duo in several years. That is saying something when you consider how the 2018, 2019 and 2024 groups were, but that's the potential that this duo has.
Shuler will likely be a second year captain in 2026, and he's poised to have a bounce back season. He was good in 2025, but the adjustment to the new defense stunted his development a bit. Shuler was good last season, but his season got off to a rough start as he adjusted to the new defense.
The deeper we got into the season he better he got and the more he looked like the player we expected him to be. Shuler missed nine tackles in the first seven games, but he missed just three in the final five games, which came after the team's bye week. He allowed a lower completion rate and fewer yards per game in the final five games as well.
In 2026, Shuler has a chance to become one of the best safeties in the country. He is an impact run defender, his pass defense continues to get better and he's a clutch playmaker. His third season in the lineup should be his best.
For some inexplicable reason, Johnson played just nine snaps in the opener and didn't start against Texas A&M. Johnson showed himself to be a playmaker from the moment he became a regular in the rotation. Johnson has exceptional range thanks to his athleticism, speed and improved feel for the game. He was a sound tackler last season and makes strong reads in the pass game. Notre Dame didn't use him to play a ton of man coverage, but when he did he was quite good at it. His ability to make quick reads and quickly drive on routes - and the ball - in zone coverage is outstanding.
As good as Johnson was last season, the reality is his game is still growing. There is a lot of room for Johnson to improve. He makes quick reads, but he didn't always make the right reads. With more experience in the defense he should become a more consistent decision maker, which will allow him to be even more impactful against the pass. Johnson was a disrupter last season, as his four interceptions show, but if the improvement I think he can make is realized I could see his break up numbers at least double.
TALICH ADDS VETERAN PRESENCE
Rising senior Luke Talich was a rotation player last season, but he was often the fourth safety in a defense that primarily rotated three. In 2026, however, the expectation is that Talich becomes the third safety. That means he'll get a lot more opportunities as part of the regular defense to go along with the dime role he played last season.
Despite playing just 205 snaps last season, Talich was able to make a lot of plays. He held opponents to just a 42.1-percent completion rate while finishing third on the defense with three interceptions. He also added three pass break ups, and his six passes defensed were fourth on the entire defense. Now Talich gets a chance to earn a role that will allow him to play more, and make more plays.
DEPTH IS YOUNG, BUT TALENTED
The concerns at safety are that behind the top three there isn't much depth, and certainly no proven depth. Redshirt freshman Ethan Long goes into spring looking to earn a spot in the rotation. There are high expectations for Long, who impressed coaches late in the 2025 season. He's long, rangy, instinctive and he impressed in late-game snaps last season. Long stepping up this spring is crucial for Notre Dame as it looks to establish depth chart behind the three veterans.
Redshirt freshman Brandon Logan won't be a full-time participant in the spring due to his baseball obligations. Logan recently hit a grand slam for the Irish and he's earned four starts so far, but an injury kept him from making similarly strong impressions as a freshman on the football field. The hope is that he'll be able to stay healthy and prove himself capable of being a factor for the football team in limited spring reps and in the fall. Logan is a powerful athlete and he has a lot of potential, but he'll have a lot to prove.
Notre Dame welcomed elite rookie Joey O'Brien to the roster in January. He was one of the premier defensive backs in the country in the 2026 class and he was one of the top players in Notre Dame's top ranked 2026 recruiting class. O'Brien has an impressive football IQ and he's a big time athlete. There is no doubt that O'Brien has the athleticism, instincts, work ethic and talent to play as a freshman.
The concern is can he hold up. O'Brien measured in at 6-5 upon arrival, but he also arrived at just 188 pounds. He'll need to fill out a bit and add some strength in order to be a regular in the rotation, but that's exactly what I expect him to do this season.
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