Notre Dame football enters the 2026 college football season with expectations of fielding an elite defense under head coach Marcus Freeman.

With an experienced secondary and a deep linebacker corps returning, the Fighting Irish appear poised to field what could be the best all-around defense of the Freeman era. The key to reaching that ceiling rests with the Notre Dame defensive line, and more specifically, the defensive end room.

After a rough early start to the 2025 season under defensive coordinator Chris Ash, the defense responded with a strong final stretch. Now, heading into fall camp, this EDGE group has a chance to be one of the deepest Notre Dame has assembled in a very long time.

The known commodities

The top overall player in the room is redshirt junior pass rusher Boubacar Traore.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end led the team in sacks a year ago, finishing with 6.5. Despite a late-season lull in production, Traore returns as one of the more talented pass rushers in college football. When healthy over the last couple of years, he has been a dynamic player for the Notre Dame defense.

Another year removed from the 2024 ACL tear, there is an expectation that Traore could take an even bigger jump heading into what could be his final season before exploring the 2027 NFL Draft. He will be the leader of this unit and will help establish the ceiling for what this group can become.

On the other side, junior Bryce Young returns after flashing a ton during his true freshman season as a pass rusher. Young, who was considered by some to be a five-star player coming out of the 2020 recruiting class, took over a starting role last year and showed promise but didn’t quite make the leap many were expecting.

At 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds, the talent has always been apparent, and Young has trimmed down his frame a good bit this offseason. With other players pushing behind him, most around South Bend are expecting a sizable jump and a breakout junior campaign.

The young depth pieces

Behind those two, a couple of younger players deserve attention. Junior Loghan Thomas is a talented athlete, but whether he can put on enough weight to play a sizable role remains a major question. Redshirt freshman Dominik Hulak has received positive reviews from Notre Dame personnel, and there is excitement about what his future may bring. Both could be more of a 2027 breakout story than a 2026 one.

The new arrivals turning heads

The newcomers have generated the most buzz this offseason.

Alabama transfer Keon Keeley originally committed to Notre Dame in the 2023 class before decommitting and ending up with the Crimson Tide. The former five-star recruit did not make the impact in Tuscaloosa that many had hoped, but he saw more playing time last season and played good football down the stretch.

Once the redshirt junior arrived in South Bend, the priority was shedding bad weight after playing in the 290-pound range a year ago. Now at about 270 to 275 pounds, Keeley looks sleeker, more explosive, and could push Young for a starting job. At worst, he becomes a key part of this rotation.

The other main name to know is true freshman five-star recruit Rodney Dunham. At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Dunham has turned heads since enrolling and participating in spring practice. He has performed well enough that everyone is anticipating substantial snaps for him next season. There is a very real world where Dunham could end up being Notre Dame’s second-best pass rusher, even without a full-time role.

His speed, explosiveness, and bend are tremendous, and he looks like the next big star at defensive end for the Fighting Irish.

I would also keep an eye on true freshman Ebenezer Ewetade, a player a lot of people are excited about. I don’t expect him to make much of an impact in 2026, but could he come in for a splash play occasionally, similar to Traore’s true freshman year? I think that’s certainly possible for a player as talented as Ewotade.

The formula for success

One thing is very clear about this group: the talent and depth are both there. If Traore stays healthy and takes the expected next step, Young delivers on his breakout potential, Keeley recaptures his five-star form, and Dunham lives up to the early hype, this defensive end room could be the engine that drives the entire Notre Dame defense.

Freeman and Co. have built this roster with exactly this kind of depth in mind, and the 2026 season will show whether the investment pays off.