Future stars emerge as Notre Dame's 2024 defense boasts a No. 1 cornerback, elite safety, and game-changing defensive end.
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 2024 defensive class is loaded with fire power after several key breakouts in the 2025 season. A talented edge rusher, a house-hold name at linebacker, a rising star at safety and the No. 1 cornerback in the country headline this talented 2024 defensive recruiting class and their impact will be felt in 2026.
IMPACT PLAYERS
This class is home to the best player on Notre Dame's 2026 football team and that's cornerback Leonard Moore. As a true sophomore, Moore recorded 31 total tackles, seven passes defended and five interceptions, and that was with missing two games in the regular season. After his performance last season, the 6-2, 194-pound boundary corner was named a Unanimous All-American and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. He returns to South Bend this season as the best cornerback in the country.
Safety Tae Johnson broke out as a redshirt freshman last season and quickly became one of Notre Dame's best defenders on the back end. The Fort Wayne native ended the season with 48 tackles, three passes defended and four interceptions. He returns this season and is looking to pick up where he left off in 2025.
Defensive end Bryce Young is one of Notre Dame's more heralded recruits in the Freeman Era. The 6-6, 264-pound defensive end broke out in 2025 and finished the year second on the team in pressures behind Boubacar Traore from the 2023 recruiting class. The success of the Irish defensive line will be weighed heavily on Young's performance this season, going from quality starter to impact player week in and week out.
Finally, linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa who is on the road back from a knee injury, will also be an impact player on this defense. The last two seasons, Viliamu-Asa has been one of Notre Dame's most impactful defenders as a true freshman and true sophomore. His timeline to return is uncertain, but even with the injury, the 6-3, 229-pound linebacker remains one of the highest ceiling players in the rotation.
STARTING CALIBER
Another defensive end with high upside in this class is Loghan Thomas. The 6-4, 207-pound edge rusher played significant minutes in the postseason in 2024, specifically in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia. Thomas is one of the twitchiest players in the defensive end rotation but injuries have prevented him from fully breaking out this year. It's unlikely he'll start this season with Traore and Young both returning, but Thomas is a starting-caliber player; he just has to stay healthy.
DEPTH PLAYERS
Defensive lineman Sean Sevillano and Cole Mullins are two talented players that just have a lot in front of them. Sevillano is one of the biggest defensive lineman on the roster at 6-2, 342-pounds. He's yet to find a solidified role in the rotation; new defensive line coach Charlie Partridge will look to find the rising redshirt sophomore a role in this year's defense.
The same can be said for Mullins who has yet to find a role in the defensive line rotation. In the limited times we've seen him, Mullins has made plays for the defense. The 6-4, 273-pound lineman has loads of potential, but injuries have stunted some of his growth. Ideally, Partridge finds what position he fits best at and leaves him there to grow and develop. Mullins has switched back and forth from the interior to the edge several times over the last year and a half.
CLASS EXPECTATIONS
Similar to the offensive side of the ball for this class, the overall ceiling of the 2026 Notre Dame defense will be dictated by this class. The 2023 class anchors this unit and provides excellent leadership. Breakouts to varying degrees from players like Young, Viliamu-Asa once he returns, Johnson on the back end and Thomas will go a long way in seeing if this will be a championship-caliber defense.
Honestly, Moore has to be what he was last season, the best cornerback in the country. I'm confident he'll do so, but all eyes will be on the Texas native and future first-round NFL Draft pick. Mullins and Sevillano won't have the same amount of snaps as the players aforementioned, but when they get their opportunity, they'll have to capitalize. This is an extremely talented class and one that could help carry Notre Dame to its 12th national title.
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