The goal of any program is to continually stack recruiting classes and supplement calculated attrition with top-level talent. Notre Dame is one of the top five programs in the country that have done that under head coach Marcus Freeman and this year, with the exception of a few, all players on the 2026 roster have been recruited, signed and developed under Freeman and his coaching staffs.
The few exceptions are found in what remains of the 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes. These classes will bring leadership and experience to the roster this upcoming season and the majority of it can be found on one side of the football.
Class Breakdown
2021 Recruiting Class:
Defensive tackle - Jason Onye
Linebacker - Kahanu Kia
Onye was granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA after missing the majority of the 2024 season, including the post season, with personal off the field issues. In 2025, he really turned his fortunes around and became an integral starter on the defensive line. This season, he returns to anchor the interior along with some impactful portal pick ups and some talented returners who have been waiting in the wings for their opportunity. The 6-5, 302-pound defensive tackle has the opportunity to end his Notre Dame career on a high note.
Kia has multiple years of eligibility left; he left school after his freshman year to go on a mission trip and has returned to South Bend to pick up where he left off. He's been a regular on the special teams unit and will likely carry out the same role this upcoming season. That being said, there's a chance he cracks his way into the linebacker rotation this season, but it will be a challenge with several starters and key rotational pieces ahead of him.
2022 Recruiting Class:
Center - Ashton Craig
Linebacker - Jaylen Sneed
Craig's 2025 season came to an abrupt end after suffering a knee injury in their home win over NC State. It's unclear when he'll be back to full speed and ready to return to the starting lineup, but Craig's mere presence brings added leadership to the room. Unfortunately, Craig has yet to finish a season as the starting center, but when he's on the field, he's been a force and a key part to the offensive line's success. It won't be as easy as it was in 2025 earning his starting position back, but the offensive line is at it's best with Craig on the field.
Sneed also returns for his fifth and final season in South Bend. Up until the tail end of 2024, the former five-star recruit was used more as a niche role player than an every down linebacker. That changed once the College Football Playoffs rolled around. Sneed showed his value as an every-down backer and carried that into the 2025 season. He still have room for development, something that new linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary will be tasked with. Sneed is a key part of Notre Dame's linebacker rotation and will continue to be in 2026.
Expectations In 2026
These four players all have significant experience as football players, student athletes and now in life. Team's that make deep postseason runs are led from the front, and these four players have the opportunity to be that for this 2026 Notre Dame football team. Look, none of these players will have the statistical or in-game impact that a CJ Carr or Leonard Moore might have or be recognized for. But the culture of programs is set by those who have been around the longest and understand the responsibility of putting on the gold helmet.
For players like Craig, Onye and Sneed, this is their fifth and sixth year putting on that gold helmet. The standard at Notre Dame is competing for and winning national championships. All four of these players have been around a championship caliber program and will have to lead from the front to bring home the 12th title to South Bend.
-------
Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!