2026 Spring Practice Thread
- Thread starter Dale
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Mostly just vibes if we're being honest
Jimmy3Putt
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SDIrishFan
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2026 ND Depth Chart:
Alright, now that we're a lot closer to knowing the roster, I figured I'd update the Depth Chart as I see it at least heading into spring.
Biggest Questions:
OFFENSE
QB - 1. Carr
2. Hebert
3. Grubbs/Jarrard
RB - 1. A. Williams
2. James Jr.
3. Young
4. Osborne
5. Walton
WR - X - 1. Porter
2. Gilbert
3. Williams (I think he plays a bigger role next year, but he still looks raw.)
WR - Z - 1. Faison
2. M. Graham
3. Burress
WR - SL - 1. Greathouse
2. Saldate
3. One of the Freshmen?
LT - 1. Knapp
2. Black
3. Prescod
LG - 1. Absher/Black? (I think Black starts, just not sure where?)
2. Terek
C - 1. Craig
2. Otting
3. Herron
RG - 1. Jagusah
2. Absher
RT - 1. Lambert
2. Augustine
TE - 1. Flanagan
2. Flanigan
3. Premer
4. Washington
5. Larson
DEFENSE
SDE - 1a. Young
1b. Keeley
3. Burgess
NT - 1. Onye (Think he petitions successfully)
2. T. Gray (Starts if Onye is rejected)
3. Mukam
4. Sevillano
DT - 1. Brewu
2. Hughes
3. Mullins
WDE - 1. Traore
2. Thomas
3. Dunham
WLB - 1. KVA (once healthy)
2. Ausberry
3. Faraimo
4. Sneed
MLB - 1. Bowen
2. KVA
NB - (No Clue who ends up here, but I assume they have a plan)
1. Golden
2. DJ McKinney or Jayden Sanders??
FS - 1. Johnson
2. E. Long
3. O’Brien
SS - 1. Shuler (One more ride)
2. Talich
3. Long
BCB - 1. Moore
2. McKinney or Sanders??
FCB - 1. Gray
2. Zachery
3. Adams
Specialists
Kicker - Porath
Punter - Scaife
Alright, now that we're a lot closer to knowing the roster, I figured I'd update the Depth Chart as I see it at least heading into spring.
Biggest Questions:
- Not sure how the OL shuffles out and who our best 5 are?
- Same at Nickel and Corner, who plays where other than you know Moore is your boundary corner
- LB rotation will be interesting without KVA to start the season
OFFENSE
QB - 1. Carr
2. Hebert
3. Grubbs/Jarrard
RB - 1. A. Williams
2. James Jr.
3. Young
4. Osborne
5. Walton
WR - X - 1. Porter
2. Gilbert
3. Williams (I think he plays a bigger role next year, but he still looks raw.)
WR - Z - 1. Faison
2. M. Graham
3. Burress
WR - SL - 1. Greathouse
2. Saldate
3. One of the Freshmen?
LT - 1. Knapp
2. Black
3. Prescod
LG - 1. Absher/Black? (I think Black starts, just not sure where?)
2. Terek
C - 1. Craig
2. Otting
3. Herron
RG - 1. Jagusah
2. Absher
RT - 1. Lambert
2. Augustine
TE - 1. Flanagan
2. Flanigan
3. Premer
4. Washington
5. Larson
DEFENSE
SDE - 1a. Young
1b. Keeley
3. Burgess
NT - 1. Onye (Think he petitions successfully)
2. T. Gray (Starts if Onye is rejected)
3. Mukam
4. Sevillano
DT - 1. Brewu
2. Hughes
3. Mullins
WDE - 1. Traore
2. Thomas
3. Dunham
WLB - 1. KVA (once healthy)
2. Ausberry
3. Faraimo
4. Sneed
MLB - 1. Bowen
2. KVA
NB - (No Clue who ends up here, but I assume they have a plan)
1. Golden
2. DJ McKinney or Jayden Sanders??
FS - 1. Johnson
2. E. Long
3. O’Brien
SS - 1. Shuler (One more ride)
2. Talich
3. Long
BCB - 1. Moore
2. McKinney or Sanders??
FCB - 1. Gray
2. Zachery
3. Adams
Specialists
Kicker - Porath
Punter - Scaife
Junkhead
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I doubt Sneed would come back to be 4th string? I appreciate these projections because I like to check them out and am too lazy to take a stab at it.
SeekNDestroy
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Apparently, he overslept and was late to practice. This occurred after the Colts game.
Rocketman84
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Power and leverage against the point of attack
General Colon Bowel
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That defensive depth chart is a thing of beauty and it doesn't even have some of the ultra talented freshman like Golden, Dunham, Pouncey, Ebenezer.
The schedule should allow for lots of rotation and snaps all around to keep everyone fresh for a playoff run
Irishdwarte
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This is ND’s most talented roster since the 25 roster and before that the 24 roster. Prior to that, it’s best roster since the Holtz years. Anyone who bitches about the way Freeman and his staff run this program is a fool. The 26 recruiting and portal class are loaded with athletes everywhere. They have so much speed and talent on this roster. Their coaching staff is better this year and so is their recruiting staff with key additions. It’s a great era of ND football and it’s only going to get better.
SDIrishFan
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Right, as we all know, ND doesn't treat depth charts like most schools. All the linebackers will play and have specific roles. It's just hard to lay that out in a traditional depth chart format. Positions like LB and DL, we know obviously rotate.
SportsingHard
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ND has far more talent at OT than OG. I expect Knapp to slide inside. At NT, I expect Gray to start.
I’m going to be livid if the safety comes via QB sack in the end zone.
SDIrishFan
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The fact that this hasn’t been asked boggles my mind. Especially when the media asked about KVA and Bowen yesterday.
stlnd01
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OL is interesting because Lambert and Black are more prototypical high-end tackles than Knapp, but do you really slide a guy with two full seasons as a starting tackle inside? And then I'd guess Jagusah plays guard but he could also play tackle and may be the best individual OL we've got (when healthy). Hopefully everyone's healthy by spring and they can mix things up a little.
Also a little surprised they didn't pick up a veteran backup QB from the MAC or a G5 but maybe they like what they see in Herbert.
Also a little surprised they didn't pick up a veteran backup QB from the MAC or a G5 but maybe they like what they see in Herbert.
greyhammer90
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IRISHbluehen
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They fact im already at "forensically analyzing 6 second workout clips," is not ideal on Jan 15.
Rocketman84
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Yes, slide Knapp into his more natural position and let the Tackles play Tackle. Jagusah is a swing player who can be effective at both at an elite level but Knapp has had his struggles at times as a T.
Rocketman84
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First team
DE: Boubacar Traore (RS Jr.)DT: Francis Brewu (Jr.)
NT: *Jason Onye (Sr.) AND/OR Tionne Gray (RS So.)
DE: Bryce Young (Jr.) AND/OR Keon Keeley (RS Jr.)
Second team
DE: Loghan Thomas (Jr.)DT: Armel Mukam (RS Jr.)
NT: Elijah Hughes (Sr.) AND/OR Sean Sevillano (RS So.)
DE: Keon Keeley (RS Jr.)
Third team
DE: Cole Mullins (RS So.) AND/OR Dominik Hulak (RS Fr.)DT: Chris Burgess (RS Fr.) OR Cole Mullins (RS So.)/Elijah Golden (FR.)
NT: Sean Sevillano (RS So.)
DE: Rodney Dunham (Fr.)
rtrn2glory
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Gotta think that this will help with the early season confusion we saw in the first 3 games
Rocketman84
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Then had guys right on the cusp Young was actually a 5⭐on 247 and Rivals, KVA was a 5⭐ at one point and finished at #40, Lambert was a 5⭐ by On3 and #46 on 247.😳😳
I'm guessing this is talking POST-2002 rankings because Holtz had 10+ 5⭐ guys on his rosters in the '88-'95 era several times.
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It probably doesn’t matter cause both will play a ton, but Bryce Young hasn’t shown me anything to get penciled in as a starter over Keon. Keon kind of in the same boat but I think he has the higher ceiling. May come down to who has the best weight target and hits it in off season.
Rocketman84
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I agree to an extent but both have extremely high ceilings but so far Young has had the better floor to date and also has familiarity in the system on his side. I say they both play a ton of snaps and may even be on the field at the same time quite a bit in different looks, but for game 1 my money is on Young.
Veritate Duce Progredi
A man gotta have a code
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Counterpoint: Bryce is very young for his grade and was still growing through the end of his first year on campus. He's still settling into his body. I'm grateful we have Keon but I think they both represent highly-graded prospects who need to take steps in their development.
It's good to have plenty of guys to challenge/push each other. I always work out a little bit harder when I have a partner pushing me, especially if they are near/above my level of fitness.
And now he has partridge to develop him