Notre Dame Spring Game Reactions & 5 players to Watch for This Fall

This past Saturday, Notre Dame Stadium was rocking like it's fall already as the Irish took the field in front of a packed house to finish up the spring schedule. In an offense vs. defense setup, the defense made a late comeback in the 12-series game, but it was the special teams that stole the show in the end. Purdue transfer Spencer Porath hit the game-winning FG to give the offense the win, ending what has been characterized as a competitive & improving spring.

CJ Carr led the Irish offense this spring with a much different perspective after being in the middle of a big QB battle last year. Now he is going into year two as the starter with the keys fully in hand to a new-look offense. The weapons out wide look to be there, with Mylan Graham, the transfer from Ohio State, having a few nice grabs, while Jordan Faison yet again showed off his jack-of-all-trades abilities. The depth at that position may be the best it has ever been in South Bend, which could be crucial.

Especially after the nation saw two RBs taken in the first round from the Irish, the biggest question of the spring felt like the backfield. Though the top name to take over the RB spot, Aneyas Williams, was non-contact, you have to be encouraged by watching his burst in the hole and catching out of the backfield. During this game, he had 51 all-purpose yards, though it could have been much more since he was basically playing "two-hand touch." We, of course, know that we cannot expect exactly what we got out of Jeremiyah Love & Jadarian Price over the past two years, but we could still have a top-tier backfield by committee.

The scrimmage showed the depth this team has, with the 2's, or at least projected 2's, popping off the charts and passing the eye test. In the trenches, as expected, the offensive line looked very strong, but one major new update is the D-line; it was noticeably bigger than last year, which was an area of need for the defense. They did get to the QB a few times, but overall I would say the O-line won the battle today.

While we saw a lot of familiar faces making an impact on the scrimmage, including Jaylon Sneed with a pick, Adon Shuler with big hits, & CJ Carr throwing dimes, I think as fans you want to know the names of guys who could surprise or jumpstart their career arcs earlier than expected. That could be the difference between being a playoff team or a national championship contender. After the spring was completed Saturday, I came up with five guys who fit the "players to watch out for" category:

5. Will Black - OT

The redshirt freshman was a prize recruit and maybe doesn't fit the category of a "surprise," but he does fit the newcomer who can and will be an impact player. After redshirting this past season, many started to worry if he could live up to the high expectations of his recruiting status. Well, those worries have been quieted this spring as he has shown he is more than capable of handling the all-important LT spot. His play will be crucial to the success of Carr this season.

4. Luke Talich - S

Okay, yes, Talich has been around and made some plays, including three INTs, but most of his work has been limited to special teams or late-game spots. This spring has been his coming-out party, though, with all the coaches raving about his play and speaking about how hard it is to keep him off the field. Could he be another Harrison Smith or Tom Zbikowski? He is a big, physical safety that has great instincts. Right now, of course, he is the third safety, but look for him to play a lot of snaps as the defense moves its pieces around.

3. Mylan Graham - WR

The transfer looked the part today, there is no doubt about that; his routes and his hands all looked sharp. With the loss of Jeremiyah Love to the pros, the need for a game-changer is there, and Graham showed flashes of being that guy. Against the ones, which is being considered one of the best secondaries in the country, he got open. He also held onto the ball after a big hit here.

2. Jonaz Walton - RB

The need for an RB breakout player is, of course, very high on the list for the 2026 team after losing two first-rounders. Walton gave us some very high hopes: 12 touches for 41 yards and a touchdown in his first snaps of college ball. Yesterday he looked very good for a true freshman that really should have been getting ready for the prom. Jonaz at 5'9" can hide in the hole but also showed the burst to get outside. He could prove to be a solid back right away in a position of need.

1. Devin Fitzgerald - WR

To me, easily the biggest winner of the spring. Now, he was a four-star recruit, so we shouldn't be too surprised here, especially considering his father is HOFer Larry Fitzgerald. Still, Devin exceeded expectations daily; it felt like every practice day there was a new video of him making plays. He has gone from an expected redshirt to going into the summer and fall with the mentality that he could work his way into meaningful snaps this season. After 54 yards and a TD in the spring game, you want to keep your eye on him for fall camp.

Many others shined throughout the spring as well, again showing us that this team has some real depth. Now it's all about keeping the right mindset into the summer to be ready for fall camp. We know Carr is our guy to lead the way, but the RB & WR rooms, though deep, are still figuring out who will get the lion's share of the snaps. The long wait until August starts today for Irish fans, as the 2026 season cannot come soon enough.