The Notre Dame Fighting Irish secondary has become a major area of strength under head coach Marcus Freeman, and the 2026 defensive backfield might be the best in all of college football.

With All-American cornerback Leonard Moore, Tae Johnson, Adon Shuler, Christian Gray, and DJ McKinney all suiting up for the Fighting Irish this fall, Notre Dame could legitimately have five or six players drafted during the 2027 NFL Draft. On paper, this group is elite, tremendous, and has as much upside as any defensive backfield South Bend has seen since the Lou Holtz era.

Former secondary coach Mike Mickens did wonders for that unit, and now Aaron Henry must try to continue exactly where Mickens left off. The talent is undeniable, but even with a group this loaded, questions remain. Notre Dame is set to open fall camp on Monday, which means some of those answers could arrive before the season kicks off against the Wisconsin Badgers at Lambeau Field.

Here are the secondary question marks Freeman, Henry, and company need to address before the season begins. They aren’t major concerns for the most part, but they could linger without proper attention to detail.

How will Christian Gray’s transition to nickel play out?

Gray made the move inside this offseason after starting the last two years at field cornerback. He has been up and down for the Fighting Irish during that stretch. When he is good, he’s quite excellent. When he’s bad, he’s nearly unplayable, and his confidence has taken a hit over the last couple of years.

Notre Dame has traditionally filled the nickel spot through the transfer portal but decided to move Gray there as a senior.

The question is whether his game will translate effectively inside. If it doesn’t, the Irish may have to abandon that plan and eventually roll with sophomore Dallas Golden. The overall understanding of how good the nickel position will be remains a bit unclear compared to previous seasons. It could be a ton better, or it could be a lot worse. That question will linger until we see how Gray ultimately looks in the nickel.

What is the health and consistency of DJ McKinney?

McKinney comes to Notre Dame from Colorado as the expected starter opposite Leonard Moore. When McKinney has been healthy and consistent over the last two years, he has been quite good. The issue is that consistency has not been the name of his game. The 2025 season was filled with injuries and inconsistent play.

Without those setbacks, he could have potentially been a top-100 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Now he arrives in South Bend to prove himself once again. Will he be the best version of himself, or something closer to what we saw during the 2025 season? That answer will go a long way toward determining how dominant this secondary can be.

How often will Notre Dame utilize 3-safety alignments?

This is not a major concern, but it is a fascinating schematic question heading into the season. With senior Luke Talich also returning at 6-4, 210 pounds, Notre Dame has three safeties on the back end. That doesn’t even include Ethan Long and Joey O’Brien, who could play significant snaps for the defense in 2026.

The talent is there if the coaching staff chooses to go that route.

It will be worth watching whether the Irish deploy more 3-safety looks and lean into the versatility this roster provides. The depth at safety gives Notre Dame options that few programs in the country can match, and how Freeman and his staff use those options could define the ceiling of this defense.