Heading into the 2026 season, there are plenty of names on Notre Dame’s roster who could stand out. However, when it comes to who starting quarterback CJ Carr thinks will be a real standout, it was Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa that came to the head of the pack.
During his stay at the Manning Passing Academy, Carr talked to Rivals’ Wilson Alexander about all things Irish. Eventually, the second-year quarterback said the young linebacker would impress many people this coming campaign.
“I think Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is going to have a year that won’t shock anyone around Notre Dame,” Carr said. “He’s one of the best defensive players in the country, in my opinion. He has battled through an injury with the ACL, but he’s a really good football player.”
One reason it won’t be that big a surprise is that the talented defender has long been looked at as an impact player. Coming out of high school in the 2024 cycle, Viliamu-Asa was a five-star recruit, the No. 2 linebacker, the No. 2 player in California and the No. 19 player in the nation, according to Rivals. He chose Notre Dame over the USC Trojans, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks and Miami Hurricanes.
CJ Carr says Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is one of nation’s best defenders
Last season, he was having a very good year, though it ended a bit early. Appearing in 11 games, the linebacker accumulated 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception and 2 pass deflections. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL in Notre Dame’s final home game against the Syracuse Orange on November 22. He’s still battling back from that torn ACL, and it’s unclear just when he’ll be “full go.”
It says something about what Viliamu-Asa brings to the table that he could miss the first few weeks of fall camp, or even the season, and yet Carr believes he’ll be a heck of an impact player in 2026. Granted, there are also plenty of analysts who believe he could be a first-round pick if he can show that he’s all the way back.
Clearly, the linebacker is loaded with talent. He’ll be able to show what he can do as part of one of the best defenses in the country. And quarterback CJ Carr believes that on a defense that has plenty of stars, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa will be a name that gets a ton of talk.
The quarterback's specific praise for a defensive player also shows that the Notre Dame quarterback is growing into a leadership role. He’s not just leading his group, but the entire squad.
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