Notre Dame football is deep in fall camp, and in just a few weeks the Fighting Irish will open the 2026 college football season at Lambeau Field against the Wisconsin Badgers.

As more intel surfaces on potential starters, key reserves, and players who might not be ready to take that next step, the excitement around Notre Dame’s perceived upside continues to build. Head coach Marcus Freeman, defensive coordinator Chris Ash, and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock have a roster loaded with talent, but the program’s ability to hit its ceiling likely hinges on a handful of players breaking out and performing close to their potential.

Notre Dame hasn’t won a national championship since the 1988 season. If the Fighting Irish are going to end that drought in 2026, these are the players who hold the key. Here is a closer look at each breakout candidate and what a leap from them could mean for Freeman’s squad.

WR Quincy Porter

Porter transferred from Ohio State this offseason, and the former five-star recruit in the 2025 class has the tools to be Notre Dame’s best wide receiver.

At 6-4, 215 pounds, he brings incredible size, vertical ability, and a massive catch radius. The problem is health. Porter has not been fully cleared yet, which has given sophomore wide receiver Micah Gilbert the early track toward starting at boundary receiver.

If Porter is able to get back and showcase the five-star talent that made the Buckeyes want him so badly, he has a chance to completely transform the Notre Dame offense. A boundary receiver who demands attention is a huge calling card for a Denbrock offense and opens up the field for everyone around him.

RB Kedren Young

The redshirt sophomore has been dealt a series of injuries over the last couple of years, including an ACL tear that cost him the entirety of the 2025 season. Notre Dame’s running back room will be good regardless, but if the 5-11, 230-plus-pound runner is fully healthy and able to add that power element, he could become the Fighting Irish’s biggest rushing threat.

At worst, Young can carve out a nice role as a short-yardage, power-centric runner in a committee approach. There was a reason he was considered a top-100 recruit coming out of the 2024 class from Lufkin High School. This is an incredibly talented football player with explosiveness and power, and he still has plenty of opportunity to break out.

TE Ian Premer

There is a good chance the 6-6, 245-pound tight end breaks out this year alongside Cooper Flanagan and James Flanigan in the tight end room. Premer’s athleticism, catch radius, and mismatch upside make him a dynamic weapon. If he doesn’t break out in 2026, the 2027 season is his prime opportunity. Regardless, he should be a headache for linebackers and safeties in multiple tight end sets.

OTs Will Black and Guerby Lambert

This is the most talented offensive tackle duo Notre Dame has had since at least Joe Alt and Blake Fisher, and you could argue it goes back further than that. Lambert started at right guard last season, but the 6-6, 325-pound mauler is back at his natural offensive tackle position. Black, a tremendous athlete at 6-7, 316 pounds, now holds down the blind side. The freshman is arguably the most talented offensive lineman the Fighting Irish have signed in some time.

If Black and Lambert are able to excel at offensive tackle for quarterback CJ Carr, they have a chance to bolster one of the best offensive lines in the country.

DE Bryce Young

At 6-6 and 260 pounds, Young looks like a first-round defensive end. He just hasn’t hit his ceiling yet. Young was raw from a technical perspective when he enrolled and was solid as a first-year starter last season, though he left some things to be desired in terms of visibility as a playmaker. He is having a strong offseason, is down about 10 pounds, and looks a ton more explosive. He has a chance to be a dynamic difference maker on the other side of Boubacar Traore.

DT Tionne Gray

The 6-5, 320-pound transfer from Oregon arrived this offseason and brings the size, explosiveness, and upside Notre Dame needs at defensive tackle. If the sophomore is able to make an impact on this defensive line in 2026, the Fighting Irish defensive tackle room has a chance to be the deepest it has been in quite some time.

LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa

According to reports, Viliamu-Asa is ahead of schedule in his recovery from the ACL injury suffered during the 2025 season. Drayk Bowen, Jaiden Ausberry, Jaylen Snead, and Madden Faraimo are all very good linebackers who give Notre Dame a dynamic room even without Viliamu-Asa.

But if the 6-3, 230-pound linebacker is healthy, he has a chance to be the best at his position in the country. His ability to play on ball and off ball, impact the second level, and rush the passer makes him a potential difference maker for an elite Notre Dame defense in 2026.