Position Breakdown: Could Notre Dame Have One of the Best Offensive Lines in the Country?
Notre Dame has the chance to have one of the strongest offensive lines in the country with a lot of returning production, a talented new left tackle, and players moving to their natural position. Together, the group makes up one of the strongest in the country on paper.
The offensive line at Notre Dame has always been a strength in the program. With Marcus Freeman, the strength has seemed to only be magnified, as he constantly preaches that games are won at the line of scrimmage. This season, Notre Dame will have the offensive line to dominate much of the line of scrimmage in almost every game. With the depth chart being recently released for Week One, let's take a look at how the position group will shake out.
Starters
Will Black - Left Tackle
Will Black arrived at Notre Dame as one of the most highly-touted offensive linemen in his class. At that point, he was immediately identified as a future starter and impact player for the Irish. The only question was, when would he get his opportunity? Last season, he was behind Anthonie Knapp and Aamil Wagner. Both were experienced players, making it hard for a freshman to earn starting reps, even if he is extremely talented. Now, with Knapp moving to Left Guard, Black will get his chance to become the next premier lineman at Notre Dame.
Black is exactly what one might imagine when thinking about an elite left tackle. To start, he has the prototypical size to be a force from the start. Standing 6'7" and 316 lbs, he is a huge blocker who has the size to move opposing defenders. Like any good tackle, that size is paired with shockingly quick feet. With those quick feet, Black is able to beat defenders to their spot and lock them up. This athleticism also makes him a dangerous blocker at the second level. On the move, Black is a formidable force, paving the way for Irish running backs. Black has all the physical traits to be a major part of this offensive line, but he will be inexperienced at the most important position along the offensive line. He has surely been tested in practice by Notre Dame's talented defensive line, but time will tell if Black is truly ready to become the marquee player of this talented group.
Anthonie Knapp - Left Guard
The move to left guard for Knapp has been a long time coming for this group. In 2024, Knapp started at left tackle as a true freshman, as the team lacked another strong option. While Knapp held his own for most of the year, it was clear that tackle was not his natural position, given his body type. Looking at last season, Knapp once again started at left tackle. Black was seemingly not ready to start, and Knapp had the experience necessary to be a solid option. Again, Knapp filled the role well, but it did always seem like he was better suited at guard. Knapp sometimes struggled in pass protection, as he lacked the prototypical length to fend off pass-rushers. While that was the case, Knapp showed that he was a more than capable run-blocker, making his move to guard exciting for the Irish run game in 2026.
Knapp will be paired with Black on the left side of the line, making up a strong pairing that could be the strength of this offensive line. Standing at 6'4" and 305 lbs, Knapp's frame is much more suited to play guard than tackle. With more of a stocky build, Knapp has always been able to leverage defenders in the run game. At guard, that skill will be even more important. In the pass game, Knapp will no longer have to go up against the long, athletic pass-rushers that would sometimes give him problems. Instead, he will battle against interior linemen, a matchup Knapp is better accustomed to taking on. With his experience at tackle, he should be a polished pass-blocker for his position while also providing Black with an experienced partner. At guard, Knapp should find his calling at his natural position, making him one of the most intriguing players at his position at the college and pro level.
Ashton Craig - Center
Ashton Craig returns to the starting lineup after back-to-back season-ending injuries in 2024 and 2025. Craig earned a starting spot in both of those seasons, but two ACL tears kept him out for the majority of those seasons. When he is healthy, Craig is a physical and dependable player in the middle of the offensive line. As the center, he serves a critical role as the snapper and one of the main communicators of the whole group. The main question surrounding Craig is his health. Unfortunately, Craig has not been able to finish a full season for two years, forcing the position to be a bit of a question mark for the Irish.
When he is healthy, Craig could be one of the best parts of this offensive line and one of the best centers in the country. He is a big body in the middle of the line, listed as 6'5" and 315 lbs. Craig is an elite run-blocker, contributing to some of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price's awesome success in 2025. Now, Notre Dame may be switching to a more pass-centric offense, giving Craig the chance to display his pass-blocking ability. Craig will have a lot of pressure heading into the 2026 season, as he is already on the Remington Award Watch List, which is given to the nation's best center. Along with that, he will have the pressure to stay healthy for an entire season to help the Irish reach their full potential.
Sullivan Absher/Styles Prescod - Right Guard
The right guard position is the most interesting one of the entire group. Since the spring, it has appeared that the other four positions were all but solidified. Now, with the season-opener under a week away, the right guard position is still up for grabs. With the release of the Week One depth chart, Freeman stated that a final decision has not been made on the position. That means that the game against Wisconsin may be the final test for Sullivan Absher and Styles Prescod to prove they were worthy of the starting spot. Absher is a familiar name for many Irish fans, as he has been the man in waiting for years. He has had opportunities to start and come in as a sub for two seasons, where he has played well. Prescod is a little more of an unknown commodity. He did see some playing time in 2025, but he has not started a game in his collegiate career. Prescod has performed well in spring and fall camp, making this a position competition all the way to the Wisconsin matchup.
If it is size that decides this competition, Absher would win in a landslide. He is 6'7" and 320 lbs, making him a powerful blocker and a force in the interior of the offensive line. That size is an intriguing option for the Notre Dame coaching staff to consider. Prescod is a bit smaller and projects to be a future offensive tackle. This may be an opportunity for the coaching staff to implement a younger option in order to get him the experience needed to become a starter at tackle in the future. Both are solid options that will almost certainly not be a weak point of the line.
Guerby Lambert - Right Tackle
Guerby Lambert is another starter making a position change after starting every game last season at right guard. Lambert was seen as a tackle but filled a need for the Irish in 2025 as a guard. That could prove to be a benefit for Lambert and Notre Dame, as it has given him much-needed playing experience that he can use in 2026. Although he played well at guard, there were times when the position looked a bit foreign to him. At tackle, Lambert should feel more comfortable in a position better suited to his frame and skill set.
Lambert is a long, athletic blocker who projects to be a very strong pass-blocker. With a 6'7" and 325 lbs. frame, Lambert has a long wingspan to keep pass-rushers at a distance. With that incredible size, he also displays good bend and quick feet, making him a potential star at tackle. Lambert's experience at guard could also prove beneficial in the run game, as well. He has the reps needed to thrive in short-yardage situations and as a run-blocker in space. Lambert was highly touted as a prospect and viewed as a bright part of Notre Dame's future. At guard, he was finally able to impact games, but now he will have the important role of keeping CJ Carr on his feet, which is critical to Notre Dame's success.
Backups
As it is the nature of the offensive line, rotating players is not often a feature of the position. This means many backups will not get the chance to see meaningful minutes unless there are injuries or blowout victories. As injuries are prevalent on the offensive line, it is important to highlight some of the backups that would be waiting for their chance to prove themselves.
Joe Otting
Joe Otting is another player in this group who has patiently waited their turn. Otting has been an important part of this offensive line as a backup center and guard. Last season, Otting started the last six games of the season for an injured Craig and handled it well. He is an older and experienced player whom Notre Dame can lean on in the event of another injury to Craig or a guard. Otting, as a backup, is a nice luxury for the Irish to have in 2026.
Charlie Thom and Grayson McKeogh
Interestingly enough, Charlie Thom and Grayson McKeogh are both slotted to be backup options at left and right tackle as true freshmen. While the idea of freshmen being one injury away from starting may be a little scary for Irish fans, it does speak to the bright future this group has. It shows that the coaches have faith in the young, talented freshman to reinforce a strong offensive line.
Charles Jagusah
Charles Jagusah's story may be one of the more unfortunate stories of the entire Notre Dame roster. Jagusah was once looked at as the future star of the group, who had future NFL pick written all over him. Since then, he has suffered an injury that sidelined him for all but two games of the 2024 season and a broken arm in an ATV accident that kept him out of all of the 2025 season. Due to complications, Jagusah is still recovering from that broken arm, which will keep him out for some of 2026. If he is able to return to the field, Jagusah is a very talented player to offer excellent depth at either tackle or guard. If he recovers and is back to his former self, he could even enter the starting lineup.
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