Notre Dame’s defense is heading into 2026 in a very different spot than it was a year ago-and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Last offseason, the Irish were hit hard at every level of the defense, losing key contributors from the front line to the secondary. This time around, the departures are more concentrated, but they’re still significant-especially at defensive tackle and nickel corner.
Let’s start up front, where Notre Dame is set to lose three experienced interior linemen who played big roles in 2025.
Jason Onye was one of the more intriguing storylines entering this past season. After stepping away from the game during the 2024 campaign for personal reasons, he returned for a fifth year and made his presence felt.
The 6-foot-5, 302-pound tackle played in all 12 games and started nine of them. He wasn’t just a rotational body-he was productive, finishing ninth on the team in total pressures with 16 and adding 13 defensive stops, per Pro Football Focus.
Onye brought size, experience, and a steady hand to the middle of the defense, and replacing that kind of consistency won’t be easy.
Then there’s Jared Dawson, the Louisville transfer who proved to be one of the most important pickups of the offseason. Dawson came in with a reputation as a pass-rusher, and while he lived up to that billing-finishing fifth on the team in pressures with 21, including six hits or sacks-his impact against the run was just as valuable.
At 6-1 and 288 pounds, Dawson might not have had the prototypical size of a run-stuffer, but he played with great leverage and motor, stepping up when injuries forced him into a bigger role. He may have been the most complete defensive tackle Notre Dame had in 2025.
Gabriel Rubio rounds out the trio of departing tackles. The 6-foot-5, 322-pound senior brought size and physicality to the interior, and while his season ended prematurely due to an upper-body injury, his presence was felt throughout the year.
Rubio’s final game came against NC State, and while he was expected to return for postseason action, Notre Dame’s exclusion from the final rankings shut that door. His ability to anchor the line and contribute as both a run defender and pass rusher will be sorely missed.
In the secondary, DeVonta Smith is another key departure. The Alabama transfer came in with high expectations and, when healthy, showed exactly why.
Smith manned the nickel corner spot with discipline and physicality. According to Pro Football Focus, he was targeted 27 times this season and allowed just 16 receptions for 138 yards-without giving up a single touchdown.
He also notched two pass breakups. Injuries limited his availability, which was unfortunate, but when he was on the field, he brought a level of reliability and playmaking that gave Notre Dame an edge in the slot.
With Smith moving on to the NFL, all eyes now turn to Dallas Golden, the rising sophomore who could be next in line at nickel. Golden has the physical tools and showed flashes this past season, but stepping into a full-time role will be a new challenge.
Despite these losses, Notre Dame’s defensive cupboard is far from bare heading into 2026. The Irish return a deep and talented group across the board, and defensive coordinator Chris Ash has plenty to work with.
The main question now is how they’ll fill the holes at defensive tackle and nickel. There are in-house options who’ve been developing behind the scenes, but don’t be surprised if the Irish dip into the transfer portal again-either to add depth or to land an immediate-impact player.
Bottom line: Notre Dame’s defense is evolving, not rebuilding. The pieces are there. Now it’s about how they fit together.