Devan Houstan’s path at Notre Dame has taken a sharp turn, and now the 6-4, 305-pound lineman is trying to turn a position switch into a real role. After moving from defensive tackle to offense following the 2024 season, the Canada native heads into his second full year with Joe Rudolph with a chance to climb into the two-deep.
Houstan already flashed enough last season to make himself worth tracking. In 2025, he played 36 snaps on offense and seven on special teams, after logging 10 defensive snaps in 2024 and six more in 2023. His career totals now sit at 36 offensive snaps, 16 on defense and seven on special teams.
His first season on the offensive line came in three games for Mike Denbrock’s unit. Houstan saw action against Navy, Syracuse on Senior Day in the Irish’s 70-7 win, and Stanford on the road in the regular-season finale.
Every one of his 36 offensive snaps came at left guard, and 13 of those were pass-blocking snaps. He did not allow a single pressure in those opportunities.
He also worked on special teams against Syracuse and Stanford on the field goal and place kicking unit.
The bigger picture for Houstan is a crowded depth chart and a pivotal offseason in South Bend. Notre Dame has loaded up through the last two recruiting cycles, and that has made every spot in the trenches a fight.
Still, Houstan’s spring stood out. He looked more comfortable as a blocker, and his run blocks against the second- and third-team defensive lines drew attention.
Compared with the 2025 spring window, the improvement was obvious.
That spring momentum gives him a real chance heading into fall camp, but the climb won’t be easy. At the moment, the only players who have clearly locked down “next man in” status are center Joe Otting, who started the final six games of the regular season last fall, and redshirt freshman Matty Augustine, who has made major strides this offseason. Houstan can get into that mix, but he’ll have to beat out several talented underclassmen to do it.
Special teams may be the cleanest path for him to help right away. He only appeared in two games last season on Marty Biagi’s place kicking unit, but his experience and fourth year in the program could matter there. Barring injuries, meaningful offensive snaps don’t look likely, though he should have chances to get on the field early in the season against Rice, Purdue, potentially Stanford and potentially North Carolina.
A good season for Houstan would mean two things: a spot on special teams and a place in the two-deep. The interior line battle is still wide open, and it will keep evolving beyond August.
Houstan has the size and tools to push himself into the picture. There’s just a lot of talent ahead of him, and around him, as he tries to keep rising.
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