Notre Dame Football 2024: Defense Depth Chart Breakdown and Analysis

Notre Dame football had one of the nation's best defenses in 2023 and it should be even better in 2024.

Oct 14, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) intercepts a pass in the second quarter against the USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

2024 Notre Dame Football Depth Chart: Defense

Notre Dame football had one of the nation's most ferocious defenses in all of college football in 2023.

It allowed just 15.9 points per game, had the nation's top ranked defense in terms of pass efficiency against, and the good news for Notre Dame fans is that from front to back this unit could be even better in 2024.

Notre Dame returns the reigning Bronco Nagurski Award winner in safety Xavier Watts and to tell just how good this defense should be, he realistically might be the third-best player on the defense.

Al Golden returns for his third season calling the defense that has only gotten stronger the longer he's been in charge.

Factor in improved recruiting on all three levels over recent years and this unit isn't just a one or two year fad but should have staying power for the forseeable future.

How will Notre Dame's defensive depth chart look headed into fall camp? Let's take a quick look at how we project the defensive starting lineup to look roughly a month out from camp opening.

Notre Dame Football 2024: Offense Depth Chart Breakdown and Quick Takes

Notre Dame Vyper End Depth Chart

VE1 - 12, Jordan Botelho, 6-3, 258, Sr.+
VE2 - 44, Junior Tuihalamaka, 6-2, 246, Jr.

Botelho brings experience and had much hype entering last year but considering what was around him, didn't reach high expectations. His four sacks from a year ago were expected to be higher. Tuihalamaka played in each game last year while not putting up big numbers.

Nick's Quick Take: This position took a step back after the program's all-time sack leader Isaiah Foskey departed for the NFL. Perhaps while playing with his future in mind we see the best Botelho has to offer yet in 2024.

Notre Dame Defensive End Depth Chart

DE1 - 9, RJ Oben, 6-3, 262, Sr.+
DE2 - 40, Joshua Burnham, 6-4, 247, Jr.

RJ Oben comes along with quarterback Riley Leonard as a one-year rental from Duke while Joshua Burnham tries to match some of the hype that made him so highly coveted out of Traverse City, Mich.

Nick's Quick Take: You can't teach size nor can you just have NFL bloodlines. Incoming freshman Bryce Young (6-7, 258 pounds) has both and I would be very surprised if we don't see him earning significant playing time not too deep into the fall.

Notre Dame Defensive Tackle Depth Chart

DT1 - 99, Rylie Mills, 6-5, 297, Sr.+
DE2 - 47, Jason Onye, 6-5, 289, Jr.

Riley Mills is a physical freak that took a step statistically in tackles while also being a regular in the opposition's backfield. Mills plays a major role in Notre Dame's defensive line being viewed as one of the absolute best in college football entering 2024.

Nick's Quick Take: Jason Onye's career to date has seemingly been to impress in spring and then not offer a whole lot on fall Saturdays. He impressed again this past spring, now can he turn that into Saturday success and spell Mills more reps?

Notre Dame Nose Guard Depth Chart

NG1 - 56, Howard Cross III, 6-1, 288, Sr.+
NG2 - 97, Gabe Rubio, 6-5, 316, Jr.

Howard Cross returns after an All-American showing in 2024 and will again be among the nation's best nose guards. Gabe Rubio returns to the program after spending spring camp away.

Nick's Quick Take: It's been stated at pretty much every position yet but the depth is what stands out at nose guard. Notre Dame has been able to throw a solid defensive tackle out there regularly for years, but having a rotation hasn't so much been the case. If Rubio plays towards where he has been trending, then this defensive line has the chance to be downright scary good for four quarters a night.

Notre Dame Rover Linebacker Depth Chart

R1 - 3, Jaylen Sneed, 6-1, 222, Jr.
R2 - 4, Jaiden Ausberry, 6-2, 216, So.

Veteran Jack Kiser moves from Rover this year which creates opportunity for a couple of formerly big-time recruits that both came from the heart of SEC country. Sneed was said to have had a great spring and although the position lends itself to not being on the field as much, is certainly a guy who brings big-time playmaking ability.

Nick's Quick Take: If I had to pick one player on this defense to go from being a relative unknown nationally to a rather household name by season's end it's Sneed. He doesn't have a ton of playing experience (still three years of eligibility remain) but when he has he has flashed and will be given his greatest chance to yet with a ton of talent around him.

Notre Dame Weakside Linebacker Depth Chart

WLB1 - 24, Jack Kiser, 6-2, 231, Sr.+
WLB2 - 43, Kahanu Kia, 6-2, 230, So.

Old reliable Jack Kiser moves from rover to the weakside in 2024 which means he'll be on the field more. For whatever you value Pro Football Focus rankings, Kiser was actually graded out with a better performance-per-play grade than anyone else on Notre Dame's 2023 defense.

Nick's Quick Take: All Kiser has done since he was forced into action in the 2020 game against South Florida is produce. He takes on his biggest role in the Irish defense yet and based on what he's done to date, should having an incredibly strong year.

Notre Dame Middle Linebacker Depth Chart

MLB1 - 34, Drayk Bowen, 6-2, 239, So.
MLB2 - 27, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, 6-3, 240, Fr.

If you want to know about Notre Dame's depth here consider this: Drayk Bowen won the Butkus Award as the nation's top high school linebacker just two years ago and Kyngstronn Viliamu-Asa is expected to push for significant playing time immediately.

Nick's Quick Take: Pull this up in three or four years and think of me when Viliamu-Asa is selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft after becoming Notre Dame's most decorated linebacker since Manti Te'o.

Notre Dame Cornerback Depth Chart

BOUNDARY CORNERBACK
BCB1 - 20, Benjamin Morrison, 6-0, 190, Jr.
BCB2 - 29, Christian Gray, 6-0, 187, So.

Benjamin Morrison is coming off shoulder surgery this spring but according to Marcus Freeman, should be good to go for the Texas A&M game. That's good news for Notre Dame as Morrison is one of the nation's top-three cornerbacks - and he's not number three.

FIELD CORNERBACK
FCB1 - 7, Jaden Mickey, 6-0, 178, Jr.
FCB2 - 18, Chance Tucker, 6-0, 189, Jr.

Jaden Mickey would have started for almost every other Power Five team last year had veteran Cam Hart not been rostered. Hart is off to the NFL and Notre Dame shouldn't miss a beat with one of the nation's top cornerback tandems.

Nick's Quick Take: I've been watching Notre Dame football for roughly 30 years and at no point have the Fighting Irish had this level of cornerbacks. Based on how recruiting efforts have gone, it won't be slowing down anytime soon, either.

Notre Dame Safety Depth Chart

RIGHT SAFETY
RS1 - 0, Xavier Watts, 6-0, 203, Sr.
RS2 - 28, Luke Talich, 6-4, 208, So.

There is no doubt Watts benefited from a great defense around him but he certainly took advantage of the opportunity. Talich won't be asked to do a whole lot but has the body type that speaks to what Notre Dame is trying to do on the back half of the defense going forward.

LEFT SAFETY
LS1 - 2, Rod Heard II, 5-11, 1958, Sr.+
LS2 - 8, Adon Shuler, 6-0, 200, Fr.

Heard was arguably the best player on Northwestern's defense last year that saw the Wildcats climb from the Big Ten cellar to bowl eligibility. Heard can and will play all over the secondary. It's probably best to not think of a traditional safety when it comes to thinking of how Al Golden will use him.

Nick's Quick Thoughts: Watts has done all of this despite being recruited to Notre Dame from Nebraska to play wide receiver while Heard now gets to be "a guy" instead of having to be "the guy" on defense.

This entire defense is loaded with playmakers and depth at each position. It's easy to get caught up in hype but there isn't an offense nationally that won't fear what Notre Dame's defense brings to the table in 2024.

Notre Dame Football 2024: Offense Depth Chart Breakdown and Quick Takes