Notre Dame’s secondary is drawing national attention for a reason. Blake Brockermeyer of CBS Sports slotted the Fighting Irish No. 1 at the position entering the 2026 season, putting them ahead of Miami and Oregon after a stretch of steady roster-building in the back end.
The biggest driver of that ranking is Leonard Moore. The junior has gone from breakout freshman to one of the country’s elite corners, following up his first season with a 2025 campaign that earned unanimous All-America honors.
In 10 starts, he led Notre Dame with five interceptions, returned one for a touchdown and added seven pass breakups. Notre Dame says his 91.8 Pro Football Focus grade and 92.5 coverage grade were both tops in the nation.
Moore’s value goes beyond the numbers. His length, recovery speed and ball production give the Irish confidence to match him with an opponent’s top receiver, and that flexibility opens up more options for defensive coordinator Chris Ash behind the front seven.
There’s still a competition on the other outside corner spot. The preseason depth chart has Colorado transfer DJ McKinney listed first at field cornerback, though CBS Sports expects sophomore Mark Zackery IV to push him hard.
McKinney brings the more established résumé: 22 starts across two seasons at Colorado, 97 tackles, 14 pass breakups and four interceptions. His 2025 season was cut short after nine games because of an injury, but he still finished with 35 tackles and five breakups.
Inside, Christian Gray gives Notre Dame another veteran piece at nickel. He started 10 games on the outside last season, picked off two passes and led the team with 11 pass breakups. Sliding him into the slot should let the Irish use his size and experience against receivers, tight ends and running backs.
The depth behind those top names looks useful too. Zackery, Dallas Golden and Michigan transfer Jayden Sanders give Notre Dame options if McKinney, Gray or anyone else misses time.
Safety may be the cleanest part of the group. Tae Johnson and Adon Shuler combined for 101 tackles and six interceptions last season, and both return after proving they can handle major roles.
Johnson took over as the starting free safety early in 2025 and quickly became one of the defense’s most dangerous playmakers. He started eight of 10 games, finished fourth on the team with 48 tackles and ranked second with four interceptions, including two against Boston College and a pick-six at Pittsburgh.
At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he has the range to patrol the deep field and the size to finish plays in traffic.
Shuler brings the steadying presence next to him. He made 11 starts, wore a captain’s patch and ended the year second on the team with 53 tackles.
His stat line also included two interceptions, two forced fumbles, five pass breakups, three tackles for loss and his first career sack. His top outing came against USC, when he piled up a career-best 11 tackles and forced a late fumble.
With that pair in place, Notre Dame can disguise coverages before the snap without forcing either safety into uncomfortable roles. Luke Talich is behind Shuler, and there’s young depth behind Johnson as well, giving the Irish some protection if injuries start to pile up.
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For Freeman, the prediction is flattering and a little loaded at the same time. It speaks to how highly Kelly still views the roster and the direction of the program, but it also sets a lofty public bar for a coach who already lives under a microscope in South Bend. Whether Notre Dame gets anywhere near that kind of season is still a long way off, but Kelly has made sure the conversation around it is already underway. [Read more 🡒]