With Notre Dame’s season opener only five days away, the early breakout watch is already taking shape - and a few names are sitting right there in plain sight.
Leonard Moore and CJ Carr are not part of that conversation. Both have already broken through, so even if they take another leap this season, that would be more of a “best season” case than a breakout one. The real question is which Irish players are positioned to turn heads in 2026.
Mylan Graham is one of the clearest candidates. Notre Dame brought in two transfer wide receivers from Ohio State this offseason, and Quincy Porter has drawn more attention, but he’s currently injured and there’s no clear timetable for his return.
That leaves a lane open for Graham, who showed up on Notre Dame’s first depth chart of the season as a co-starter at wide receiver. He’s listed with Jaden Greahouse as an “or,” so the starting job against Wisconsin on Sunday night is still unsettled.
It would be easy to miss Graham if you only look at the college stat line. He had just 6 catches for 93 yards in two seasons with Michigan.
But the ceiling has always been obvious. Graham was a former 5-star recruit who piled up more than 2,000 career receiving yards and 21 touchdowns at New Haven, including a junior year in 2022 when he caught 48 passes for 1,149 yards and 13 scores.
James Flanigan belongs on the same watch list. He’s another player who has been overshadowed at times, and he, too, landed on the depth chart as an “or,” putting him in the mix to start against Wisconsin. He’s currently battling Cooper Flanagan for that spot.
The difference between the two is pretty clear. Cooper has long been viewed more as a blocker, while James brings receiver production to the table.
Flanigan topped 500 receiving yards and scored 6 touchdowns as a junior, then followed that up by becoming the first non-traditional wide receiver to win the Al Toon Award in his senior year. That award honors the most outstanding high school wide receiver or tight end in Wisconsin.
Joey O’Brien rounds out the group, and his situation stands out for a different reason. The true freshman safety did not have an “or” next to his name on the first depth chart. Instead, he was listed as the top backup behind Adon Shuler.
That’s notable given where O’Brien was just a few months ago. He finished spring practice with an injury that required early summer surgery, so what he’s done in training camp and in the lead-up to Wisconsin has clearly impressed the staff. Notre Dame has now given him the green light to get on the field and compete for a breakout season in South Bend.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Opens Season With Adon Shuler Facing Heartbreaking Loss
Notre Dames season-opening week has been colored by a personal loss for one of its most important players. Don Shuler, the father of starting safety Adon Shuler, died, according to the familys announcement on social media, adding a painful note to a period when the Irish are getting ready to face Wisconsin and begin the 2026 season.
Adon Shuler has become a central figure in the defense and is a two-time team captain, which makes the timing especially difficult for a player expected to lead on and off the field. Family arrangements for Don Shuler had not been made public, leaving the program and its supporters waiting on more details while the focus shifts to how one of Notre Dames key veterans handles the days ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames Captain Vote Revealed A Leadership Problem Freeman Welcomed
Notre Dame has settled on its four captains for the season, and the group says plenty about where the program stands under Marcus Freeman. Returning captains Drayk Bowen and Adon Shuler are back in the mix, while CJ Carr and Jordan Faison were added to the leadership circle after earning the respect of teammates in the vote.
Freeman said nine players drew meaningful support, which created more candidates than the team ultimately wanted to carry into the season. Rather than stretching the role too thin, Notre Dame kept the group at four for the third time in five years, a sign that the rosters leadership is spread deeper than usual even if only a few players will wear the title. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has A Real Week 1 Wisconsin Mystery To Watch
Wisconsins choice to withhold a Week 1 depth chart adds an odd little wrinkle to Notre Dames season opener, especially for a game that already carries plenty of attention. The Badgers said their in-season depth charts are built from the previous games usage and that, with no previous game to draw from, they opted not to speculate before kickoff.
The move has already stirred up questions about where it came from, with reports indicating the decision was made by Wisconsins Sports Information Department rather than the coaching staff. For Notre Dame, it means one more layer of uncertainty to sort through in the days leading up to the matchup, and a reminder that even before the first snap, the chess match around Week 1 can start well before the teams take the field. [Read more 🡒]