As the Notre Dame football team prepares for the 2026 season, much of the conversation among analysts and fans has been about CJ Carr and the offense. It's almost as though the defense is taken for granted as a unit that will once again be dominant. Count Drayk Bowen and Maddaen Faraimo as two members of that unit who aren't taking a thing for granted.
Bowen, a team captain and linebacker entering his make-or-break season for the Fighting Irish, has already spent the spring impressing fans with his workout regimen after spring practice. This weekend, a video surfaced showing Bowen accompanied by one of his young, talented defensive teammates, Faraimo. The two know that they can't practice with the full team, so they've hooked up in California to get bigger, stronger, faster, and on the same page heading into a season many think could bring a Golden Domer national title.
The video shows the two Notre Dame stars going through several drills clearly geared toward staying in shape and improving their skills before they can join the rest of the team later this summer. It's yet another reminder that every single person in the Fighting Irish program is locked in and focused.
One of the most interesting aspects of these two teaming up in practice sessions is how they are on opposite ends of the spectrum in several ways. Faraimo came to Notre Dame as a player who looked like someone who could start as a freshman, and that didn't materialize. Bowen, on the other hand, is someone often thought of as a grinder who doesn't have the same ceiling but has turned into not just a starter but a leader.
Drayk Bowen and Madden Faraimo give Notre Dame football another offseason statement
Bowen is also likely entering his final season in South Bend as the NFL beckons, while Faraimo could have another four years, should the 5-for-5 rule pass next month. Faraimo did step in at times last year, seeing 130+ snaps at linebacker, but he spent most of his time on special teams.
“He is an ascending player,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said last fall when Faraimo slid into an injured Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa's spot. “The more he's out there, the better he continues to play. He's preparing in a really positive way. I think the greatest thing Kyng did for Madden was that they hung out a lot. Madden learned to prepare in a similar way to Kyng. He's getting better. He's getting better at all facets of playing the linebacker position."
Bowen's workouts are especially important for a veteran defender whose numbers slipped a bit from 2024 to 2025. Last season, he amassed 67 tackles (down from 78 the year before), as well as a career high 3 passes defended and 3.5 sacks. He also had no forced fumbles after forcing three the year before.
Faraimo clearly wants to see more playing time for Notre Dame after finishing 2025 with 16 tackles, 1 pass defended, and 2 sacks. 2026 could be a big one as he battles for more time on the field.
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