Notre Dame releases depth chart for Wisconsin opener with key battles still unresolved – Top Irish Takeaways
Notre Dame released their depth chart ahead of the opener against Wisconsin. What are the biggest takeaways for the Fighting Irish?
Notre Dame football released its depth chart ahead of the season opener against the Wisconsin Badgers, and while much of it reads as expected, several position battles remain unsettled for head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame will travel to Lambeau Field to kick off the 2026 season on Sunday, carrying a few lingering questions into Week 1.
The most notable takeaway sits on the offensive line. The starting right guard position does not appear solidified, with Sullivan Absher and Styles Prescod listed as an “or” on the depth chart. That tracks with what surfaced later during fall camp, where Prescott, a redshirt sophomore, earned a legitimate chance to start at right guard.
A full answer has not been made public, and it may not be before kickoff.
The rest of the offensive line is chalk: Will Black at left tackle, Anthonie Knapp at left guard, Ashton Craig at center with Joe Otting backing up, and Guerby Lambert at right tackle.
Pass catchers and the tight end race
At tight end, Jack Larsen has put himself in position to be the third tight end, battling it out with Ty Washington. Freeman mentioned Larsen’s push recently, and the depth chart confirms his progress.
At wide receiver, Matt Jeffery is the primary backup to Jordan Faison, which was expected.
The boundary spot carries more intrigue. Micah Gilbert is listed as the starter, while Quincy Porter, who has been rehabbing from offseason surgery, does not appear on the initial depth chart. Elijah Burress or Jerome Bettis Jr. are listed as the main backups to Gilbert.
At slot receiver, Jaden Greathouse or Mylan Graham hold the top spot, with Bubba Frazier as the third-team option.
Defensive questions linger at cornerback, linebacker, and D-line
On defense, the field cornerback spot is listed as DJ McKinney or Jayden Sanders. Sanders, who transferred from Michigan this offseason, has been pushing McKinney for that starting role throughout camp. Sanders is also listed as an “or” with Dallas Golden as the backup nickel behind Christian Gray.
One of the more frustrating listings is at MIKE linebacker. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is listed as the backup to Drayk Bowen, but not alone. He carries an “or” next to his name with Madden Faraimo.
That could indicate Notre Dame plans to nurse Viliamu-Asa back from his injury at a slower pace, and he may not be a full go against Wisconsin. I was hopeful to see him listed as a starter next to Bowen. It will be worth watching whether the injury is making the staff more judicious with how they deploy him early in the year.
At defensive tackle, Armel Mukam is listed as a starter, which lines up with what I’ve been hinting at over the last couple of weeks. The slight surprise is Jason Onye listed as the starter next to him, with Tionne Gray and Sean Sevillano Jr. as backups. Behind Mukam, Francis Brewu and Elijah Hughes round out the depth.
Is the Rodney Dunham listing gamesmanship?
The only other notable surprise is at defensive end behind Boubacar Traore. Rodney Dunham, the true freshman 5-star, is not listed as the primary backup.
Instead, Loghan Thomas holds that spot, now listed at 6-3 and 221 pounds. I’m curious whether that is a legitimate listing or if there is some gamesmanship at play given the veteran angle of the conversation. I do expect to see Dunham play a significant role this season, but his early workload remains something to monitor as the year gets underway.
