A Fresh New Look: Diving Into Notre Dame's Revamped Defensive Line
- Noah Wehby
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
After years of dominant play from Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills, Notre Dame now looks to their new core of playmakers on the defensive line to help anchor one of the most talented defenses in the country.
Photo by The Irish Tribune
Notre Dame has consistently produced solid to well-above-average defensive lines for years now. Not only that, but it has also had a continuous stream of players move on to the NFL. Mills and Cross III are just the most recent players to join that list. During their time at Notre Dame, the duo was a productive force that dominated the line of scrimmage. They were both well-equipped to not only slow down the run but also get after the passer. Together, they combined for 28 sacks and 300 tackles during their career at Notre Dame. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, they will lose all that production in 2025, forcing them to look elsewhere to continue a high level of defensive line play.
Luckily for Marcus Freeman and his new defensive coordinator, Chris Ash, they have a lot of very talented young players poised to take the next step on defense. Last season, Boubacar Traore showed a lot of promise in the first three games of the year before going down with an ACL injury. Through three games, he led the team in sacks with 3.5 as only a redshirt freshman. Traore has a ton of potential to be a major impact player this season, as he will be a featured pass rusher on the defensive line. With his length and athleticism, he has all the physical capabilities to do the job, but it will be interesting to see what he looks like coming off a major injury.
On the other side of the line, Notre Dame has another young, exciting pass-rusher primed for a breakout year. Bryce Young, son of legendary DL Bryant Young, was called upon last year due to injuries on the defensive line. While not always super productive, Young showed a lot of flashes of what he can eventually become as a player, particularly on special teams. With a long, athletic frame and incredible explosiveness, it was clear that Young is a unique talent. Physically, he is already one of the most talented players on the roster as just a sophomore. That youth is also the thing that is slowing him down. Young lacked the technique necessary to consistently impact the game last year. This season, if that technique is improved, he could easily be one of the biggest breakout stars.
Freeman has already made it clear that Notre Dame can't replace Cross III or Mills. Instead, he looks to emulate their success through a committee of players. Among those looking to do so are Jared Dawson, Jason Onye, Donovan Hinish, Elijah Hughes, Gabriel Rubio, and others. Although none of these players appear to be as polished as Mills or Cross III, Notre Dame does have a lot of really solid options to rotate through. That depth will allow them to play as hard as they can every play, knowing they have subs ready to go. The group will also provide Notre Dame with some different strengths depending on the situation. Jared Dawson, the transfer from Louisville, offers the Irish a physical player in the middle who can fill gaps and stuff the run game, while others may be better equipped to rush the passer through the middle. Together, this group could form a strong interior line, but they will have to prove it, as they will be replacing what has been one of Notre Dame's strongest positions.
Jordan Botelho, Joshua Burnham, and Junior Tuihalamaka will also have their roles to play on this defensive line in 2025. Botelho was one of the many injured players from last season and faced another injury this offseason. Botelho is a smart and disciplined player who has the talent to put it all together this season. His biggest impact may come in the form of experience. He is surrounded by some talented young players who will need his leadership throughout the season. The same goes for Burnham and Tuihalamaka. Now a Junior, Burnham has been able to provide solid depth production for the Irish throughout his career. He provided the Irish defense with two sacks and a forced fumble last season. Tuihalamaka was maybe one of the most underrated players Notre Dame had last season. He had a real knack for being around the ball and made some crucial plays late in the year. This season, his role may be similar, but his production will be needed.
Last season, the strength of the defensive line was in the interior with Mills and Cross III. This season, that could easily switch to the edge, with the potential emergence of Traore and Young. They have the raw skill to be special players on this defense, but only time will tell if they can reach their full potential. If they do, combined with a talented secondary, Notre Dame's defense could be a nightmare to face for opposing quarterbacks.
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