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Notre Dame

Notre Dame in the NFL: Projecting every former Irish player for 2025 season

IMG_7504by: Jack Soble09/03/25jacksoble56
kyle hamilton
Former Notre Dame and current Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton. (Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)

The 2025-26 NFL season begins Thursday night, and Notre Dame will be well-represented. Forty ex-Irish players made active rosters to open the year, with nine more on practice squads and four on injured reserve. In total, the Irish have alumni on 27 of the NFL’s 32 teams.

Here’s the projected role for every former Notre Dame football player in the NFL this year.

Joe Alt (played at Notre Dame from 2021-23), OT, Los Angeles Chargers

Alt moved back to his natural left tackle position after incumbent Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending injury. He’s also a team captain in just his second season.

Brandon Aubrey (2017-20), K, Dallas Cowboys)

Aubrey, who played soccer at Notre Dame, enters his third season as the Cowboys’ kicker. He has made a remarkable 24-of-27 field goals throughout his career.

Aaron Banks (2017-20), G, Green Bay Packers

Banks cashed in on a player-friendly guard market with a four-year, $77 million contract in free agency. He’ll start for his new team, the Packers, at left guard after four years with the 49ers.

JD Bertrand (2019-23), LB, Atlanta Falcons

Bertrand is a backup linebacker who should contribute heavily on special teams for the Falcons.

Beaux Collins (2024), WR, New York Giants

Collins was a training camp star with the Giants, catching an 80-yard pass from quarterback Russell Wilson in the preseason. He made the roster as an undrafted free agent, and he’s listed as the primary backup to rising star wideout Malik Nabers.

Howard Cross III (2019-24), DT, Cincinnati Bengals

Cross also made his team’s roster as an undrafted free agent. He may not be active on game days as a third-string defensive tackle, but former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden saw enough from Cross to keep him on board.

Scott Daly (2012-16), LS, Chicago Bears

The Bears cut Daly for procedural reasons, but he’s back now and set to begin his second year as the long snapper in Chicago.

Mitchell Evans (2021-24), TE, Carolina Panthers

Evans, a fifth-round pick, will begin his career as the Panthers’ third-string tight end.

Blake Fisher (2021-23), OT, Houston Texans

Fisher had a shot at the starting left tackle job, but he ultimately lost to rookie second-rounder Aireontae Ersery out of Minnesota. He’ll be the Texans’s swing tackle once again.

Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Los Angeles Chargers

Gilman missed six games due to injury in 2024, but he remains a reliable veteran on the back end for the Chargers as he enters a contract year. Gilman has 181 tackles and 17 pass breakups over the past four seasons.

Blake Grupe (2022), K, New Orleans Saints

Grupe enters his third season as the Saints’ kicker, and he was named captain as well. He improved his field goal percentage to 87.1 in Year 2 from 81.1 in Year 1.

Robert Hainsey (2017-20), C, Jacksonville Jaguars

After losing his starting job to first-round pick Graham Barton in Tampa, Hainsey has another shot to start with Jacksonville. He signed a three-year, $21 million deal this offseason.

Kyle Hamilton (2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens

Hamilton is now the highest-paid safety in NFL history, signing a 4-year, $100.4 million extension with the Ravens. He finished ninth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024, making 107 tackles with 9 pass breakups, 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.

Thomas Harper (2023), S, Detroit Lions

Harper was waived by the Raiders on Aug. 28, only to be claimed by the Lions on Aug. 29. He’ll begin the season as a backup safety.

Cam Hart (2019-23), CB, Los Angeles Chargers

Hart started six games as a rookie, performing well. But he’ll enter 2025 as the Chargers’ third cornerback.

JJ Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers

Jansen, who has played the most games in Panthers history with 260, is set for Year 17 in Carolina. He has never missed a game in the previous 16.

Javontae Jean-Baptiste (2023), DE, Washington Commanders

Jean-Baptiste is a backup defensive end in his second year with the Commanders after being drafted in the seventh round.

Jack Kiser (2019-24), LB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Kiser is a backup linebacker in Jacksonville. Like Bertrand, he should see plenty of action on special teams.

Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears

Kmet’s days in Chicago might be numbered after the Bears took Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick. He had a down year (47 catches for 474 yards) in 2024, but Kmet is still expected to be a significant part of the Bears’ offense in 2025.

Riley Leonard (2024), QB, Indianapolis Colts

Leonard made the Colts’ roster as the third-string quarterback after a strong end to his preseason.

Marist Liufau (2019-23), LB, Dallas Cowboys

Liufau is set to start at linebacker for the Cowboys, who were thrilled with his progress in training camp. He’s seen as a potential breakout player in Dallas.

Julian Love (2015-18), S, Seattle Seahawks

Love was a Pro Bowler in 2023 and had another productive season with the Seahawks in 2024. He totaled 109 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions and 12 pass breakups.

Michael Mayer (2021-23), TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Mayer missed time due to personal reasons in 2024, but he’s back and set to back up star tight end Brock Bowers for the Raiders.

Nick McCloud (2020), CB, Chicago Bears

McCloud has bounced around a bit, spending time with the Giants and 49ers. But he made the roster in Chicago this season and will be the backup nickel back.

Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OT, Denver Broncos

McGlinchey’s second season in Denver went better than his first, and he remains the Broncos’ top right tackle.

Benjamin Morrison (2022-24), CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Morrison will begin his career as a backup, behind entrenched veteran Jamel Dean. Knowing the second-rounder out of Notre Dame, he probably won’t stay out of the lineup for long.

Quenton Nelson (2014-17), G, Indianapolis Colts

Nelson is understandably sick of the Colts’ quarterback instability, but he’s set to begin his eighth season in Indianapolis. He’s been a Pro Bowler in each of his first six, and he was named second-team All-Pro in 2024. Nelson is well on his way to Canton, Ohio.

Jarrett Patterson (2018-22), C, Houston Texans

Patterson has started games in the past two years for Houston, but he’ll open the season as a the Texans’ backup center.

Spencer Shrader (2023), K, Indianapolis Colts

After spending time with three teams as a rookie, Shrader won the Colts’ kicker competition in training camp. Notre Dame now accounts for three of the NFL’s 32 kickers.

Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Let this be a lesson to all you young football players out there: If you want to hang around the NFL as a backup, you have to play special teams. He’s a third-string wide receiver, but he makes his money on the third phase.

Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings

Smith flirted with retirement, but he opted to come back for his 14th season. He’s the NFL’s active leader in interceptions with 37, and he added 3 to that total as a 35-year-old in 2024.

Chris Smith (2022), DT, Detroit Lions

Smith made the Lions’ roster after spending most of 2024 on the practice squad. He’s listed as a third-string defensive tackle.

Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Chicago Bears

Smythe signed with the Bears after spending seven years with the Dolphins. He’ll be the third-string tight end behind Loveland and Kmet.

Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens

Stanley returned to his Pro Bowl form in 2024 after dealing with injuries for several years. He played in every game for the first time in nine NFL seasons, which is remarkable. He’ll look to do it again as Lamar Jackson‘s left tackle.

Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DT, Kansas City Chiefs

Tillery is on his fourth NFL team, and he’ll be a backup defensive tackle in Kansas City.

Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Tranquill was a full-time starter with the Chiefs in 2024, and he finished with 94 tackles and 2 sacks. He’ll play alongside star linebacker Nick Bolton again in 2025.

Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers

Tremble is listed as the Panthers’ backup tight end after re-signing in Carolina this offseason. He had his best receiving season in 2024 with 23 catches for 234 yards.

Xavier Watts (2020-24), S, Atlanta Falcons

Watts will begin his career as a plug-and-play starter alongside veteran safety Jessie Bates III. That’s no surprise to anyone who watched him play at Notre Dame.

Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams

Williams earned a three-year, $33 million contract extension this offseason, on the heels of his second-straight 1,000-yard season. He’s scored 31 total touchdowns for the Rams over the past two years.

Brock Wright (2017-20), TE, Detroit Lions

The Lions love Wright as a blocking-heavy complement to star receiving tight end Sam LaPorta.

Former Notre Dame players on NFL practice squads

Hurleman was the top story to come out of training camp. He was primarily a special teamer (technically, he played nickel back) at Notre Dame after transferring from Colgate, but after participating in rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, he earned a contract with the Steelers and eventually a spot on the practice squad.

Former Notre Dame players beginning the season on the PUP or non-football injury list

Owusu-Koramoah suffered a scary neck injury last October, which ended his 2024 season and will put him on the shelf for all of 2025 as well. Hinish, Eichenberg and Mills are expected to return this season.