Notre Dame’s roster is starting to look like the kind of collection that leaves little room for excuses.
Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft puts five Fighting Irish players among the top five at their positions, and that group says plenty about where this team stands. CJ Carr checks in as the No. 4 quarterback, Anthonie Knapp is the No. 3 interior offensive lineman, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is the No. 2 inside linebacker, Leonard Moore holds the No. 1 spot among cornerbacks, and Brauntae Johnson is still Kiper’s No. 1 safety.
That last name jumps out even more because Johnson has not played since Notre Dame’s season opener against Wisconsin and is not expected back for at least a few more weeks. Even so, Kiper is projecting that he’ll return to full health and be ready to show he’s 100% before the NFL Combine and then the 2027 NFL Draft.
The bigger picture is impossible to ignore: even without Johnson on the field for more than one half of a game this season, Notre Dame already has four starters ranked among the best at their positions in college football. That split between offense and defense makes the Irish’s talent look very real, not the product of smoke and mirrors or a soft schedule.
It also sharpens the frustration around the one loss that already sits on the résumé. The defeat against BYU is one Notre Dame can’t comfortably live with, and a loss to Miami would fall into the same category, even with the Hurricanes bringing plenty of talent themselves.
That pressure has only grown since the loss to the Cougars. It showed in Marcus Freeman’s demeanor when he met the media on Monday afternoon after the bye week. He didn’t come across as refreshed; he looked like a coach who spent the week grinding through every detail and trying to sort out what went wrong in Provo.
With Moore projected as not just the best cornerback, but the No. 3 overall pick, and Carr slotted at No. 10 overall, Notre Dame needs to start handling opponents that can actually test it. Before any of that, though, the Irish first have to take care of heavy underdog Navy this weekend.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Is Still Waiting On A Return That Could Change Its Defense
Brauntae Johnsons absence has already stretched well beyond what Notre Dame initially expected, leaving the Fighting Irish without a safety many around the program believed would be back in a matter of weeks. Instead, the injury has kept him sidelined for more than half the season, and the defense has had to keep moving without one of its more promising pieces.
The outlook around the program has stayed upbeat, though, with teammates and coaches continuing to sound hopeful about his recovery. Notre Dame is eyeing a possible return for the Miami or SMU games, and if Johnson does get back in time, it could give the defense a noticeable lift at just the right moment. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Is Doing What It Takes To Keep A 5-Star Locked In
When a five-star recruit takes a bye week, Notre Dame is making sure the relationship stays front and center. Marcus Freeman and Charlie Partridge recently visited Abraham Sesay during his high school break, a reminder that the Irish are treating the 2027 edge rusher like a priority long after his June 2026 commitment. Partridge even stayed to watch a game after Sesay exited early with an injury, a small gesture that still says plenty about how seriously Notre Dame is approaching the recruitment.
Sesay has plenty of reason to stay on the programs radar, too. The five-star from the 2027 class chose Notre Dame over several major programs, and his profile keeps rising with a Navy All-American honor coming at a school pep rally before he heads to the East vs. West All-American Bowl in January 2027. For the Irish, the next challenge is less about winning him over and more about making sure that commitment keeps holding as the spotlight gets brighter. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has One Defensive Problem It Must Fix Before Navy
Notre Dames defense is heading into Navy week with a familiar priority and a very specific one: the middle of the field has to hold up better. Navys triple-option attack puts constant stress on interior gaps, making life especially difficult for a front that has already shown some recent vulnerability. For the Irish, this is less about flashy adjustments than it is about winning the trenches and staying disciplined play after play.
One name to keep an eye on is defensive tackle Tionne Gray, who could be central to how well Notre Dame handles the physical grind that comes with this matchup. The Irish do not need perfection, but they do need a sturdier interior presence if they want to force Navy out of the comfort zone that makes the option so effective. What happens up front will shape everything else about the game. [Read more 🡒]