Notre Dame football enters 2026 fall camp with one of the best overall secondaries in college football.

Head coach Marcus Freeman and former defensive back coach Mike Mickens did a tremendous job of stockpiling talent on the back end, and now new secondary coach Aaron Henry has a chance to capitalize on it. During the course of this offseason, plenty of attention has gone toward All-American cornerback Leonard Moore, Christian Gray’s switch from field corner to slot, the acquisition of former Colorado cornerback DJ McKinney, and youngsters like Dallas Golden and Mark Zachary in that loaded cornerback room.

The player who hasn’t received enough attention, however, is Michigan transfer Jayden Sanders.

Sanders went under the radar after arriving from Ann Arbor

Sanders went a bit under the radar after coming over as a true sophomore from the Wolverines, where he played a decent amount of football in 2025. He recorded 23 total tackles and a pass breakup for a deep and talented Michigan defense.

From everything I have gathered, the 6-foot, 195-pound coverman has had a tremendous offseason. He has seen time at both outside corner and in the slot during spring practice due to some injuries, and that versatility makes him a player worth watching closely. At every step this offseason, whether it be spring practice, early fall camp, or the offseason program, Sanders has been a name that consistently gets brought up in conversations around this team.

He could be a big surprise heading into 2026.

Where Sanders fits in a loaded secondary

There is a world where Sanders is the No. 1 backup at field cornerback behind McKinney while also fighting for reps in that spot. There is also another world (the same one maybe!) where he contends to be one of the key rotational players in the slot alongside Gray and Golden. The reason not much conversation has happened about him is simple: he entered one of the deepest secondaries in the entire country.

Despite that, Sanders continues to impress with his brand of physicality and overall movement skills. With technically four years of eligibility still in front of him, there is a chance that No. 12 carves out a real role in this Notre Dame defense in 2026. He could become perhaps the biggest wild card in what is considered by most to be the best and deepest secondary in college football.

The sophomore coverman once broke into the rotation for a hated Notre Dame rival up in Ann Arbor. Since arriving in South Bend, Sanders has continued to turn heads, and he is quickly becoming nowhere close to a secret for this team. I think he could end up being a very valuable member of this secondary.

Everyone needs to stop sleeping on Jayden Sanders.