Five most important players for Notre Dame in the 2026 season

Michael Chen , Fighting Irish WireMon, August 24, 2026 at 11:01 AM UTC

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Notre Dame football enters the 2026 season with a good amount of star power, and many of those players will put up some pretty impressive stats over the course of the season.

However, as we’ve seen before, putting up big numbers doesn’t always equate to wins or even impact. Those are measured differently, and while having the stats to back it up helps, sometimes it’s not the guys with the most tackles or yards that mean the most.

It’s pretty easy to go as far as saying these five Notre Dame players would be irreplaceable if anything were to happen to them this fall, and let’s hope that isn’t the case. Here are my most valuable Irish players for the 2026 season.

No. 5 Edge Boubacar Traore

After registering 6.5 sacks last season, the goal for Traore has to be at minimum double-digits. He’s fully recovered from an injury suffered in 2024, when it looked like he was starting to break out. There needs to be a clear top edge, and the rest of the defense can take advantage of opposing offensive lines accounting for him. If Traore is able to take the next jump, he’ll make Notre Dame’s defense so much better.

No. 4 Quarterback CJ Carr

I know what you’re thinking, Carr is too low, but let me explain. He’s a known commodity, and as the starting quarterback, there’s plenty on his shoulders. Carr has already played at an elite level which is something the following names can’t say. Just due to that reason, he isn’t as high on this list, but in terms of impactful, Carr is at the top of the list.

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No. 3 Running back Aneyas Williams

The final offensive player, Williams has the unenviable task of being the starter following all-world Jeremiyah Love and backup turned first-rounder Jadarian Price. When looking at what he did in very limited time over the past two seasons, it’s very interesting. Over 7.5 yards-per-carry and a score just under every five touches. Williams isn’t much of a receiving threat but to me, due to how this offense operates best, having an elite back is most important.

No. 2 Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa

While Viliamu-Asa isn’t even a starter, he’s still getting considerable hype as one of the top defenders in the country. He’s coming off an offseason surgery, and has only 85 career tackles, but the impact KVA makes on the field is evident. No one will ever complain about players like Drayk Bowen or Jaylen Sneed, but the junior is a difference-maker. With a healthy season, Viliamu-Asa could put himself into a first-round NFL draft pick.

No. 1 Cornerback Leonard Moore

There aren’t many cornerback that impact a game like Moore does, which is why he tops the list. He effectively can take away a quarter to a third of the field, making quarterbacks jobs that much tougher. Moore has been called all the superlatives in the book, and they may not be wrong. He’s elite at everything he does, and is the lynchpin for Notre Dame’s defense.

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Five most important players for Notre Dame in the 2026 season

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