Notre Dame football had its 2025 college football season end with the snap of a finger. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish must now move past the disappointment and head into what should be a very interesting offseason. This is an extremely talented team on paper, and the future is still very bright in South Bend.

While so much is going to change from here until Fall camp, it is never too early for a look at what the offensive depth chart could look like next season. Notre Dame is going to add and subtract through the Transfer Portal, so the exercise isn’t perfect, but it can still be useful. Here is what the offense could look like in 2026.

Quarterback 

Breaking news: CJ Carr is going to be the Notre Dame starting quarterback next fall. With Kenny Minchey and walk-on Anthony Rezac both entering the portal, the depth behind Carr is a lot less certain, and it is possible that the team could entertain a veteran arm to help with that depth. As of today, I expect redshirt freshman Blake Hebert to serve as the main backup. If Teddy Jarrard does end up reclassifying, I would expect him to redshirt to potentially prepare to fight for the starting job in 2027, leaving Noah Grubbs as the more likely of the two to crack the depth chart.

1. CJ Carr (RS So.)

2. Blake Hebert (RS Fr.)

3. Noah Grubbs (Fr.)

Running back

If Aneyas Williams returns for his junior year, I don’t anticipate Notre Dame to explore Transfer Portal options. If he does enter, then the team could be forced to find another talented player to join the room. The staff is very high on Nolan James Jr., so I expect him to play quite a bit next season. The biggest question is going to be how quickly true freshmen Javian Osborne and Jonaz Walton are able to earn playing time. I wouldn’t be surprised if either one of them eventually took on a substantial volume by the end of the season.

1. Aneyas Williams (Jr.)

2. Nolan James Jr. (RS Fr.)

3. Kedren Young (RS So.)

Wide receiver 

Wide receiver is the position that is most likely to change from now until the beginning of the season, and it could change a lot. The only thing I feel confident in is that Jordan Faison will play a lot if healthy. Will Jaden Greathouse be back for another season? Who will the Irish target in the Transfer Portal? There are so many questions that still need to be answered.

X – Micah Gilbert (RS So.)

X – Cam Williams (RS So.)

Z – Jordan Faison (Jr.)

Z – KK Smith (RS Jr.)

Slot – Jaden Greathouse (RS Jr.)

Slot – Logan Saldate (RS So.)

Tight end 

There is plenty of talent in the tight end room for Notre Dame, but not much proven experience. Don’t be surprised if Ian Premer ends up playing a huge role at some point in 2026, but not enrolling until the Summer might affect his ability to play a lot early in the season. As long as Cooper Flanagan is healthy, I expect him to play a lot for the Irish next season and potentially become a good starter. How the depth shakes out behind him is an unknown and could involve several different combinations. I also wouldn’t be shocked if Notre Dame explores a transfer portal addition, depending on how confident they are in the depth.

1. Cooper Flanagan (RS Jr.)

2. James Flanigan (RS Fr.)

3. Ty Washington (RS Sr.)

Offensive line 

The process hasn’t always been perfect for figuring out the best offensive line for Notre Dame under Joe Rudolph, but they have a chance to have the best group in college football next season. If Billy Schrauth returns, this has a chance to be a great group. Due to some injuries in 2025, this unit also had the chance to get valuable reps to improve the depth. As of today, I don’t see Aamil Wagner returning for another season, but we will see how that situation works itself out.

LT – Anthonie Knapp (Jr.)

LT – Styles Prescod (RS So.)

LG – Billy Schrauth (RS Sr.)

LG – Chris Terek (RS Jr.)

C – Ashton Craig (RS Sr.)

C – Joe Otting (RS Jr.)

RG – Charles Jagusah (RS Jr.)

RG – Sullivan Absher (RS Jr.)

RT – Guerby Lambert (RS So.)

RT – Will Black (RS Fr.)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish News

Notre Dame football has a potential Transfer Portal target that the Fighting Irish defense should prioritize once it opens 

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Ryan Roberts