While some spots on the Notre Dame football depth chart still raise concerns and questions, the defensive line stands out. When Marcus Freeman addressed the position at his fall camp closing press conference, he talked about how excited he is about the group.
“One would be the defensive tackle position,” stated Freeman. “We're deep with a lot of guys that will play, a lot of guys that could start. It's great competition. Those guys really had a good camp.”
Armel Mukam’s breakout camp strengthens Notre Dame football’s defensive tackle rotation
Freeman’s comments are welcome, especially because Notre Dame has had recruiting problems on the defensive line over the years. That’s why it brought in both Francis Brewu and Tionne Gray through the Transfer Portal. However, it’s the homegrown Armel Mukam who has surprised and impressed. The defensive tackle, who entered the portal over the winter before returning to the Irish, looks like he could get quite a bit of playing time, if not a starting spot.
“Armel has really had a great camp,” Freeman said. “His leadership is showing. He's not only a leader by the way he plays, but his vocal leadership is showing up, and he's making those people around him better.”
Mukam played in all 12 games but recorded just 5 tackles while notching 1.5 tackles for loss. Listening to Freeman on Friday, it sounds like the defensive tackle could be in for a much bigger 2026 role.
Notre Dame football defensive end position has depth for days
There’s plenty of depth on Notre Dame’s defensive tackle position, but there’s also quite a bit of talent at rush end as well. Especially with the emergence of Keon Keeley, Loghan Thomas and freshman Rodney Dunham.
Keeley’s improvement since coming to South Bend from Alabama is a big part of why Freeman is so excited about this unit. Freeman said Keeley has shown the Irish they can lean on him as a dependable player. The Notre Dame head coach added that it’s always going to be tough to go to a new system and pick it up quickly. However, Keeley has done just that and outplayed some of his teammates in the process.
Loghan Thomas was another defensive end who was shoved down the depth chart largely because he was even smaller than some linebackers and defensive backs. However, Thomas has gained weight and used his build effectively in camp. Freeman pointed out that with Thomas, it was never about effort level, but now he is playing at a higher level.
For a Notre Dame football team just two weeks away from its season opener against Wisconsin, there are some positions where the lack of certainty is a big negative. The defensive line is a different story entirely.
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