KGB had a post about ND's relative talent level for 2025 -- https://bluegraysky.com/forum/index.php?id=559502 . This method is far from perfect, but I've found nfldraftbuzz as a reasonable source of data when I do game previews -- it is a useful proxy for understanding highly talented players. Looking at their 2026 grades, looks like ND is in the thick of it to be a playoff team again. Especially good since we know ND will get contributions from 5 or 6 guys (2 OL, the QB, Ausberry, Moore) that don't qualify to be on the NFL draft buzz list.

Projected 1st rounders:

Clemson 4
Alabama 3
PSU     3
Texas   3
Auburn  2
SCar    2
Oregon  2
Miami 2
OSU     2
ND and 9 others have 1

Projected Top 100 players:

PSU     7
Alabama 7
Clemson 6
Texas   6
Oregon  5
OSU     4
ND      4
Florida 4
TAMU    4
Indiana 4
LSU     4
Scar    3
Georgia 3
Iowa 3
OU      3
Miami   3
Auburn  3
Utah    2
USC     2
Cincy   2
Mich    2
ASU     2
Tenn    2
Wash    2
14 others with 1

And here's the full top 250 players:

Rank   Name                  Position    School           Rating
----------------------------------------------------------------
1      Arch Manning          QB          Texas            93.4
2      Caleb Downs           S           Ohio State       93.3
3      Francis Mauigoa       OT          Miami            93.1
4      Kadyn Proctor         OT          Alabama          92.5
5      T.J. Parker           DE/ED       Clemson          90.9
6      Garrett Nussmeier     QB          LSU              90.1
7      Keldric Faulk         DL/ED       Auburn           88.9
8      Cade Klubnik          QB          Clemson          88.5
9      Spencer Fano          OT          Utah             88.4
10     Anthony Hill Jr.      LB          Texas            88.3
11     Peter Woods           DL/ED       Clemson          88.2
12     Jeremiyah Love        RB          Notre Dame       88.1
13     LaNorris Sellers      QB          South Carolina   88.1
14     Rueben Bain Jr.       DL/ED       Miami            87.9
15     Malik Muhammad        CB          Texas            87.9
16     Drew Allar            QB          Penn State       87.8
17     Deontae Lawson        LB          Alabama          87.8
18     Jermod McCoy          CB          Tennessee        87.7
19     LT Overton            DE/ED       Alabama          87.6
20     Nico Iamaleava        QB          UCLA             87.6
21     Jordyn Tyson          WR          Arizona State    87.5
22     Jake Slaughter        C           Florida          87.5
23     Dani Dennis-Sutto...  DE/ED       Penn State       87.4
24     Denzel Boston         WR          Washington       87.4
25     Avieon Terrell        CB          Clemson          87.3
26     Matayo Uiagalelei     DE/ED       Oregon           87.3
27     Eric Singleton Jr...  WR          Auburn           87.3
28     Zachariah Branch      WR          Georgia          87.3
29     Dillon Thieneman      S           Oregon           87.2
30     Carnell Tate          WR          Ohio State       87.2
31     Nyck Harbor           WR          South Carolina   87.2
32     A.J. Harris           CB          Penn State       87.1
33     Makai Lemon           WR          USC              87.1
34     Mikail Kamara         DE/ED       Indiana          87.0
35     Tyreak Sapp           DE/ED       Florida          86.7
36     Gennings Dunker       OT          Iowa             86.6
37     Antonio Williams      WR          Clemson          86.5
38     Sam Leavitt           QB          Arizona State    86.5
39     Max Klare             TE          Ohio State       86.5
40     Christen Miller       DL          Georgia          86.4
41     Derrick Moore         DE/ED       Michigan         86.4
42     Caleb Banks           DE/ED       Florida          86.2
43     CJ Allen              LB          Georgia          86.2
44     Cayden Green          OG          Missouri         86.2
45     Blake Miller          OT          Clemson          86.2
46     Michael Taaffe        S           Texas            86.2
47     Kevin Concepcion      WR          Texas A&M        86.1
48     Zane Durant           DT          Penn State       86.1
49     Isaiah World          OT          Oregon           86.0
50     Joshua Josephs        DE/ED       Tennessee        86.0
51     Makhi Hughes          RB          Tulane           86.0
52     Joe Royer             TE          Cincinnati       86.0
53     Eric Rivers           WR          Georgia Tech     86.0
54     Germie Bernard        WR          Alabama          86.0
55     Kamari Ramsey         S           USC              85.9
56     Taurean York          LB          Texas A&M        85.9
57     Eli Stowers           TE          Vanderbilt       85.9
58     Eugene Wilson III     WR          Florida          85.9
59     Iapani Laloulu        C           Oregon           85.9
60     Ar'maj Reed-Adams     OG          Texas A&M        85.8
61     Tim Keenan III        DL          Alabama          85.8
62     Elijah Sarratt        WR          Indiana          85.8
63     Aamil Wagner          OT          Notre Dame       85.8
64     Caleb Lomu            OT          Utah             85.7
65     Chandler Rivers       CB          Duke             85.7
66     Deion Burks           WR          Oklahoma         85.6
67     Rayshaun Benny        DL          Michigan         85.6
68     Suntarine Perkins     LB/ED       Ole Miss         85.5
69     Bud Clark             S           TCU              85.5
70     Drayk Bowen           LB          Notre Dame       85.5
71     DeAndre Moore Jr.     WR          Texas            85.5
72     Nicholas Singleton    RB          Penn State       85.4
73     Connor Lew            C           Auburn           85.3
74     Darrell Jackson Jr.   DT          Florida State    85.2
75     Whit Weeks            LB          LSU              85.2
76     David Bailey          LB/ED       Stanford         85.1
77     Jalon Kilgore         CB          South Carolina   85.1
78     Jonah Coleman         RB          Washington       85.1
79     Carson Beck           QB          Miami            85.1
80     Mansoor Delane        CB          LSU              85.0
81     Keon Sabb             S           Alabama          84.9
82     Jaeden Roberts        OG          Alabama          84.9
83     Malachi Fields        WR          Notre Dame       84.8
84     Sonny Styles          LB          Ohio State       84.7
85     Aaron Graves          DL          Iowa             84.7
86     R Mason Thomas        DE/ED       Oklahoma         84.6
87     Dontay Corleone       DT          Cincinnati       84.6
88     Caleb Tiernan         OT          Northwestern     84.6
89     Domonique Orange      DL          Iowa State       84.6
90     D'Angelo Ponds        CB          Indiana          84.5
91     Cashius Howell        DL/ED       Texas A&M        84.5
92     Gracen Halton         DL          Oklahoma         84.5
93     Logan Jones           C           Iowa             84.5
94     Kenyon Sadiq          TE          Oregon           84.4
95     Gabe Jacas            LB/ED       Illinois         84.4
96     Harold Perkins Jr.    LB          LSU              84.3
97     Amare Campbell        LB          Penn State       84.3
98     Tanner Koziol         TE          Houston          84.3
99     Kaytron Allen         RB          Penn State       84.2
100    Fernando Mendoza      QB          Indiana          84.1
101    Jack Endries          TE          Texas            84.1
102    Isaiah Nwokobia       S           SMU              84.0
103    Jeremiah Wilson       CB          Florida State    84.0
104    Domani Jackson        CB          Alabama          83.8
105    Monroe Freeling       OT          Georgia          83.8
106    Josh Moten            CB          Marshall         83.8
107    Parker Brailsford     C           Alabama          83.7
108    Will Lee III          CB          Texas A&M        83.7
109    Tacario Davis         CB          Arizona          83.7
110    Terry Moore           S           Duke             83.7
111    Daylen Everette       CB          Georgia          83.6
112    Charles Jagusah       OT          Notre Dame       83.6
113    Jaden Greathouse      WR          Notre Dame       83.6
114    Oscar Delp            TE          Georgia          83.6
115    Jaydn Ott             RB          Oklahoma         83.6
116    Chase Bisontis        OG          Texas A&M        83.6
117    Raylen Wilson         LB          Georgia          83.5
118    Evan Stewart          WR          Oregon           83.5
119    Justice Haynes        RB          Michigan         83.5
120    DJ Harvey             CB          San Jose State   83.5
121    Austin Romaine        LB          Kansas State     83.5
122    Jyaire Hill           CB          Michigan         83.5
123    Adepoju Adebawore     DL/ED       Oklahoma         83.5
124    Bray Hubbard          S           Alabama          83.5
125    Rod Moore             S           Michigan         83.4
126    Chase Roberts         WR          BYU              83.4
127    Darius Taylor         RB          Minnesota        83.4
128    CJ Baxter             RB          Texas            83.4
129    Bryce Boettcher       LB          Oregon           83.3
130    Roderick Kearney      OG          Florida          83.3
131    Samuel Omosigho       LB          Oklahoma         83.3
132    Ahmaad Moses          S           SMU              83.2
133    Terrance Carter       TE          Texas Tech       83.2
134    Nic Anderson          WR          LSU              83.1
135    DeMonte Capehart      DT          Clemson          83.0
136    Kage Casey            OT          Boise State      83.0
137    John Mateer           QB          Oklahoma         83.0
138    Duce Robinson         WR          Florida State    83.0
139    Aaron Anderson        WR          LSU              83.0
140    Luke Hasz             TE          Ole Miss         83.0
141    Isaac Smith           S           Mississippi State  83.0
142    Monroe Mills          OT          Louisville       83.0
143    Eric O'Neill          DE/ED       James Madison    82.9
144    Jacob Rodriguez       LB          Texas Tech       82.9
145    Cayden Lee            WR          Ole Miss         82.9
146    Kyle Louis            LB          Pittsburgh       82.9
147    Earnest Greene III    OT          Georgia          82.8
148    Davison Igbinosun     CB          Ohio State       82.7
149    Jermaine Mathews Jr.  CB          Ohio State       82.6
150    Kalil Alexander       LB/ED       Texas State      82.5
151    Taylen Green          QB          Arkansas         82.5
152    Lander Barton         LB          Utah             82.4
153    Antonio Kite          CB          Auburn           82.4
154    Desmond Reid          RB          Pittsburgh       82.4
155    Connor Tollison       C           Missouri         82.2
156    Le'Veon Moss          RB          Texas A&M        82.2
157    Tree Babalade         OT          South Carolina   82.1
158    DJ McKinney           CB          Colorado         82.1
159    Dane Key              WR          Nebraska         82.1
160    Jackson Arnold        QB          Auburn           82.1
161    Lee Hunter            DT          Texas Tech       82.1
162    Jamal Haynes          RB          Georgia Tech     82.1
163    Rasheem Biles         LB          Pittsburgh       82.0
164    Mark Fletcher Jr....  RB          Miami            82.0
165    Quintrevion Wisner    RB          Texas            81.9
166    Cameron Calhoun       CB          Utah             81.8
167    Braylan Shelby        DE/ED       USC              81.6
168    Xavier Scott          CB          Illinois         81.5
169    Quinten Joyner        RB          Texas Tech       81.5
170    Jahiem White          RB          West Virginia    81.4
171    Miller Moss           QB          Louisville       81.4
172    Noah Fifita           QB          Arizona          81.4
173    Jalon Daniels         QB          Kansas           81.4
174    Malachi Nelson        QB          UTEP             81.3
175    Xavier Nwankpa        S           Iowa             81.3
176    Conner Weigman        QB          Houston          81.3
177    Khalil Barnes         S           Clemson          81.2
178    Malik Hartford        S           Ohio State       81.2
179    Jordan Castell        S           Florida          81.2
180    Bryce Foster          C           Kansas           81.1
181    Patrick Payton        DL/ED       LSU              81.0
182    Kevin Jennings        QB          SMU              81.0
183    Shamar Easter         TE          North Carolina   81.0
184    Trey Zuhn III         OT          Texas A&M        81.0
185    De'Zhaun Stribling    WR          Ole Miss         81.0
186    Barion Brown          WR          LSU              80.9
187    Nolan Rucci           OT          Penn State       80.9
188    James Smith           DL          Alabama          80.8
189    Robert Spears-Jenni...  S           Oklahoma         80.8
190    Peyton Bowen          S           Oklahoma         80.7
191    Jaishawn Barham       LB          Michigan         80.7
192    DJ Campbell           OG          Texas            80.6
193    Ricardo Hallman       CB          Wisconsin        80.5
194    Tristan Leigh         OT          Clemson          80.4
195    Daevin Hobbs          DL          Tennessee        80.3
196    Brandon Inniss        WR          Ohio State       80.2
197    Pat Coogan            C           Notre Dame       80.2
198    Smith Snowden         CB          Utah             80.1
199    Aidan Chiles          QB          Michigan State   80.0
200    J.Michael Sturdivant  WR          Florida          80.0
201    Joenel Aguero         S           Georgia          80.0
202    Hykeem Williams       WR          Florida State    80.0
203    Brett Norfleet        TE          Missouri         80.0
204    Kayin Lee             CB          Auburn           80.0
205    Anthony Evans III     WR          Georgia          80.0
206    Fernando Carmona      OT          Arkansas         79.9
207    Dante Moore           QB          Oregon           79.9
208    Elliot Washington I...  CB          Penn State       79.9
209    Lawson Luckie         TE          Georgia          79.7
210    Kelby Collins         DE          Florida          79.6
211    A'Marion Peterson     RB          UTSA             79.6
212    Avery Johnson         QB          Kansas State     79.5
213    Princewill Umanmielen  LB/ED       Ole Miss         79.5
214    Jordan White          OG          Vanderbilt       79.5
215    Dijon Johnson         CB          Florida          79.4
216    Alex Birchmeier       OG          Penn State       79.3
217    Bear Alexander        DT          Oregon           79.3
218    Marquis Johnson       WR          Missouri         79.2
219    Rico Flores Jr.       WR          UCLA             79.1
220    Jack Velling          TE          Michigan State   79.0
221    Jalen Catalon         S           UNLV             79.0
222    Riley Mahlman         OT          Wisconsin        79.0
223    J.C. Davis            OT          Illinois         79.0
224    Jalen Hale            WR          Alabama          79.0
225    Trey Leckner          TE          Washington State  79.0
226    Jacobe Johnson        CB          Oklahoma         79.0
227    Javien Toviano        S           LSU              79.0
228    TJ Metcalf            S           Arkansas         78.9
229    Dominic Zvada         PK          Michigan         78.9
230    London Humphreys      WR          Georgia          78.9
231    Ty Simpson            QB          Alabama          78.9
232    PJ Williams           OT          SMU              78.8
233    Trey Moore            LB/ED       Texas            78.8
234    Shamar Porter         WR          UConn            78.7
235    Dante Dowdell         RB          Kentucky         78.7
236    James Williams        LB          TEN              78.7
237    Tony Grimes           CB          Purdue           78.6
238    Semaj Morgan          WR          Michigan         78.5
239    Jeremiah Cobb         RB          Auburn           78.5
240    Ethan O'Connor        CB          Washington State  78.5
241    Jaylon Braxton        CB          Ole Miss         78.5
242    Tosh Baker            OT          Notre Dame       78.5
243    Haynes King           QB          Georgia Tech     78.5
244    Isaiah Augustave      RB          Colorado         78.4
245    Johntay Cook II       WR          Washington       78.2
246    Jalen Thompson        DL/ED       Michigan State   78.1
247    Rueben Owens          RB          Texas A&M        78.0
248    Jaden Rashada         QB          Georgia          78.0
249    Ethan Onianwa         OT          Rice             78.0
250    King Mack             CB          Penn State       78.0

I don't think. Am I misreading this?

They also have Coogan listed for ND. I'm pretty confident in most of the top 100 guys though. This is the first time I've looked at it seriously ahead of the NCAA season, so I'm guessing they'll clean it up somewhat.

tells you everything you need to know about the level of parity wrought by the portal and NIL.

This guy would like a word.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/5079720/jeremiah-smith

Based on that single omission, there's a pretty good chance that the list is terrible.

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I looked at the Athletic and ESPN freshman AA lists. There's some variance since ESPN only did true frosh while The Athletic did redshirt and true frost. Regardless, here's 33 additional high end players that slot in somehow. ND does very well with 4. Clemson pops up with another 2, as does Oklahoma and South Carolina. Everybody else just gets 1.

Name          Position       School     Class The Athletic ESPN
Jayden Jackson   DL             Oklahoma    F           y               y
Isaac Brown      RB             Louisville  F           y               y
Ahmad Hardy      RB             ULM         F         y               y
Jeremiah Smith   WR             Ohio State  F           y               y
Ryan Williams    WR             Alabama     F           y               y
Jordan Seaton    OT             Colorado    F           y               y
Colin Simmons    DL             Texas       F           y               y
Maraad Watson    DL             Syracuse    F           y 
Sammy Brown      LB             Clemson     F           y               y
Leonard Moore    CB             Notre Dame  F           y               y
Adon Shuler      S              Notre Dame  R-Fr        y 
Patrick Overmyer TE             UTSA        R-Fr        y 
Alexander Doost  G              Arizona     R-Fr        y 
Delano Townsend  G              UAB         R-Fr        y 
Aaron Fenimore   C              Liberty     R-Fr        y 
Isaiah Chisom    LB             Oregon Stat R-Fr        y 
Josiah Trotter   LB             West Virgin R-Fr        y 
DJ Lagway        QB             Florida     F                           y
Fluff Bothwell   RB             South Alaba F                           y
Bryant Wesco Jr  WR             Clemson     F                           y
Decker Degraaf   TE             Washington  F                           y
Anthonie Knapp   OT             Notre Dame  F                           y
Josiah Thompson  OL             South Caro  F                           y
Tyler Mercer     OL             North Texas F                           y
Aidan Banfield   OL             North Carol F                           y
Dylan Steward    DL             South Caorl F                           y
Malik Blocton    DL             Auburn      F                           y
Simeon Colemon   LB             Cincinnati  F                           y
KVA              LB             Notre Dame  F                           y
OJ Frederique    DB             Miami       F                           y
Eli Bowen        DB             Oklahoma    F                           y
Koi Perich       DB             Minnesota   F                           y
KJ Bolden        DB             Georgia     F                           y

If you take ND's 4 top 100 guys and add in their 4 frosh AAs, they should be well positioned. If the QB works out (say a top 250 or better player) then this is absolutely a playoff caliber talent team with a shot to win it all. Those 9 players also exclude Bryce Young and Price. Young could be a top 32 type player and Price could be top 100 as well.

All of the ND guys on the list outside of Fields have at least another year of eligibility (if they even want it). And we'll surely see rising sophomores like Moore, KVA and Shuler jump onto the projected draft list 12 months from now. As promising as things are now, 2026 is setting up to be a monster fucking year.

Unless Williams continues to shine. Then both of them. NFL scouts value college RB's who don't have a ton of wear and tear on them. Share the rock.

He has thrown 95 passes in college. His stats look good from a couple of games against very weak teams.

I know he was all-everything in recruiting and so was Clausen. Clausen was a very good player but he wasn't the best player in history.

I just don't see whey he's #1 on the list.

Usually you have some guys with top 10 passing yards that are returning. This year it feels like everybody is breaking in a new starter or the entrenched guy (Allar, Nussmeier) just don’t seem that great.

Unless I missed one while perusing the list. With a good OL and young QB, I wonder if it would be possible for him to make a run at a Heisman this season? I guess it’s not really a RB award much anymore, though.

Irish fans have been downplaying the idea based on his usage, but I anticipate an uptick for him this fall -- and for more of that to come in the passing game, where Love can be even more explosive. If the line clicks and we get solid-or-better QB play, he will run wild.

Also, check out the futures odds on the award this season; the field is not exactly daunting. Lot of extrapolation there. Love is on a short list of dudes who have actually proven to be exceptional.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6483745/2025/07/16/college-football-quarterback-tiers-...

their tier 1 is

Cade Klubnik
Garrett Nussmeier
LaNorris Sellers
John Mateer
DJ Lagway
Drew Allar
Sam Leavitt
Kevin Jennings
Josh Hoover
Arch Manning

Which feels a lot worse than yesteryear when you had a group like

Cameron Ward
Dillon Gabriel
Shedeur Sanders
Quinn Ewers
Carson Beck
Kyle McCord
Jaxson Dart
Brady Cook

or the prior year

Michael Penix Jr.
Caleb Williams
Drake Maye
Sam Hartman
Will Rogers
Bo Nix
Dillon Gabriel
Cameron Ward
Jordan Travis

Leonard and Love each had 17 rush TD's last year.

Take 10 of Leonard's and give them to Love, he would have been at 27 Rush TDs/29 total TDs. Ashton Jeanty had 29 rush TDs/30 total TDs.

If Love gets to 25, I think he's at least a Heisman finalist. If he eclipses 30 Total TDs with >6 coming by way of receiving, he's got a very good shot at the hardware.

by virtue of the fact that he plays at ND, if Love puts up those kinds of TD numbers this year, I'd bet he makes top 3.

https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/ncaaf?tab=heisman

I wonder how these compare with previous years. In the end, a few people will stand out from the crowd. Honestly, at 42:1 Love seems like a pretty good bet. Ryan Williams, too.

----------

Manning is the favorite but at 7:1 (so probably more like 10:1, with a cut). I can dig that, and I think it's consistent with a healthy dose of skepticism.

then Nussmeier, Klubnick, and we get to the winner:

Jeremiah Smith at 13:1, probably too low for the greatest WR who will ever live.

Drew Allar at 14:1. Good luck. He still could go top-5 in the draft, because the Browns will be right there to take him.

Julian Sayin at 15:1. Genuinely never heard of him, but I guess I'd be something like 30:1 odds if I were the tOSU QB. I would not win, though.

Dante Moore at 26:1.

CJ Carr at 33:1

Jeremiah Love at 42:1

Ryan Williams (aka the second best receiver who will ever have lived) is at 42:1.

TPG favorite Dylan Raiola (Nebraska) at 65:1

Steve Angeli at 150:1