DEPTH CHART: ‘Notre Dame’ Defense vs. Arkansas
Sophomore Cornerback Leonard Moore and fifth-year defensive back (Nickel Back) DeVonta Smith are listed as questionable on the injury report, as well as Placekicker Noah Burnette, yet still are listed as starters on the depth chart. In addition to the injuries, some additional ebbing and flowing has occurred on the depth chart among the defensive backs. (More details follow below the chart.)
[Jersey Number, Name, Height, Weight, [Eligibility-]Year, unofficial 40 Times (from third-party sources; 40 times not necessarily current)]
– CB –
15 Leonard Moore 6-2 195 So. – 4.5
18 Chance Tucker 6-0 183 Sr.
or 21 Karson Hobbs 6-1 189 So. – 4.4
– BOUND –
8 Adon Shuler 6-0 205 So. – 4.54
28 Luke Talich 6-4 210 Jr. – 4.5
22 Ethan Long 6-3 210 Fr. – 4.6
– FIELD –
9 Tae Johnson 6-2 192 Fr.
7 Jalen Stroman 6-1 201 Sr. – 4.57
11 JaDon Blair 6-5 205 Fr. – 4.56
– CB –
6 Christian Gray 6-0 190 Jr. – 4.45
24 Mark Zackery IV 5-11 175 Fr.
20 Cree Thomas 6-1 189 Fr.
– NICKEL –
0 DeVonta Smith 5-11 195 Sr. – 4.48
14 Dallas Golden 6-0 187 Fr.
13 Ben Minich 6-0 197 So.
– WILL –
3 Jaylen Sneed 6-2 230 Jr.
4 Jaiden Ausberry 6-2 228 So.
19 Madden Faraimo 6-2 235 Fr.
– MIKE –
34 Drayk Bowen 6-2 235 Jr.
27 Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa 6-3 230 So.
19 Madden Faraimo 6-2 235 Fr.
– VYPER –
5 Boubacar Traore 6-4 250 So. – 4.68
44 Junior Tuihalamaka 6-2 255 Sr.
or 12 Jordan Botelho 6-3 260 Sr.
– DT –
47 Jason Onye 6-5 302 Sr.
97 Gabriel Rubio 6-5 321 Sr. – 4.90
42 Cole Mullins 6-5 275 Fr.
– DT –
41 Donovan Hinish 6-2 277 Jr.
93 Jared Dawson 6-1 288 Sr.
56 Elijah Hughes 6-3 300 Jr.
– DE –
95 Bryce Young 6-7 271 So.
40 Joshua Burnham 6-4 260 Jr.
10 Loghan Thomas 6-4 220 So.
Amidst the injuries, several changes ebb and flow in the depth chart at defensive back, some made more relevant by the injuries, even if the injured players are still nominally listed.
Sophomore Karson Hobbs, who reputably has 4.4 speed in the 40, was previously listed as third-string at Nickel Back, yet is now listed as an alternate back-up for Moore at Corner Back, which means he could actually really be a kind of 1(b) alternate starter at CB, if Moore continues being unavailable.
Meanwhile, freshman Dallas Golden, who was nominally listed as a back-up to Moore at CB, ended up starting against Purdue, not at CB, but rather at Nickel. He is now listed as the nominal back-up to Smith at Nickel, which means Golden would continue to be the starter at Nickel, if Smith continues to be out.
Meanwhile, at the “Field” Defensive Back position, freshman Tae Johnson and senior Jalen Stroman have flipped, where Johnson now has the starting position and Stroman is the backup. Ethan Long is no longer third-string at Field, yet Long is third-string at Bound.
Replacing him as third-string at Field is towering, 6-5 freshman JaDon Blair. Estimates Blair’s 40 time seem to range from roughly 4.4 to 4.6
[Note: Athough it had been reported in early 2025 that the program was moving beyond a Vyper concept, they do have “Vypers” on the current depth chart. The same players are listed as DE on the roster]
[official release for offense, defense, special teams at: fightingirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Depth-Chart-Game-04.pdf