Notre Dame football's WR room could be the deepest in years heading into the 2026 season, but perhaps the most volatile

Just how good can the Notre Dame wide receiver room be in 2026? There is a lot of upside, but even more questions.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock enter the 2026 college football season with what could be the deepest wide receiver room South Bend has seen in quite some time.

With quarterback CJ Carr returning and fall camp just weeks away, the talent across the position group gives Notre Dame a chance to field a passing attack that rivals any in recent program history. From proven veterans to Ohio State transfers to intriguing young pass catchers, the Fighting Irish have assembled a collection of weapons worth breaking down.

The known commodities

The most established player in this group is senior wide receiver Jordan Faison. There is a possibility Faison could take advantage of the new fifth year of eligibility in 2027, but the expectation right now is that this will be his final season in the blue and gold. The former lacrosse player and walk-on has developed into a reliable safety blanket for the Notre Dame offense, excelling in short areas and winning consistently after the catch.

Faison returns as the team’s leading receiver. At 5-10, 185 pounds, he’s undersized, but he’s an incredibly tough pass catcher who understands how to make plays with the football in his hands. His rapport with Carr should lead to another productive season, especially now that he is focusing solely on football.

Jaden Greathouse is another name in this category, though calling him a known commodity feels a little strange given the durability concerns. When healthy and on the field, Greathouse has been a productive pass catcher over the past few seasons. His biggest moments came during the 2024 season, when he combined for 13 receptions, over 230 yards, and three touchdowns against Penn State and Ohio State during Notre Dame’s national title game run.

At 6-1, 210 pounds, Greathouse is a nuanced player with strong hands and underrated route-running ability. Hamstring issues, however, have derailed two of the last three seasons, including a 2025 campaign in which he played only four games. Now healthy after missing a decent portion of the spring, Greathouse is expected to get back to the best version of himself heading into his redshirt junior season.

He remains a bit of a wild card, but there is still optimism for what he can accomplish.

The new transfers on the block

Notre Dame added two former Ohio State pass catchers this offseason: sophomore Quincy Porter and redshirt sophomore Mylan Graham. Both players were considered five-star recruits during their respective recruiting classes, and the Notre Dame staff was high on both.

Porter, at 6-4, 207 pounds, is a big boundary receiver the Fighting Irish hope will help unlock the Denbrock offense. Notre Dame doesn’t have a ton of impact size on the outside of its wide receiver room, so a strong year from Porter would be significant. The talent is undeniable, but after limited playing time at Ohio State last season and some offseason injury concerns, he does carry some uncertainty.

Graham is a completely different body type at 6-1, 195 pounds. He profiles as a slot receiver who can also play the Z position, bringing outstanding explosiveness after the catch. Graham was a bit of a revelation this offseason, particularly during spring practice. It would not be shocking if he ascended to being Notre Dame’s most dangerous wide receiver in 2026.

The younger guys

Cam Williams and Micah Gilbert are two names Notre Dame fans have patiently been waiting on to break out. Both enter their redshirt sophomore seasons. Gilbert is competing for the starting boundary role alongside Porter, while Williams, a high four-star recruit, brings an outstanding combination of size and explosiveness but has yet to make an impact. Williams has had a strong offseason and will compete for playing time at both the Z and boundary positions.

Among the other younger wide receivers are redshirt sophomore Logan Saldate, redshirt freshmen Elijah Burress and Jerome Bettis Jr., and a group of true freshmen including Bubba Frazier, Kaydon Finley, Devin Fitzgerald, Braydon Robinson, and Dylan Faison.

Fitzgerald made a lot of noise during the spring, which should come as no surprise given that his father, Larry Fitzgerald, was an all-time great at the NFL level. Like his father, Fitzgerald brings tremendous size and ability at the catch point. It will be worth watching whether he can carve out a role in the Irish offense this season.

Burress is a name that has continued to surface over the past couple of years, but he was unable to make an impact last season due to a lack of deep understanding of the playbook. Another year under Denbrock could hopefully unlock that talent. Finley is a personal favorite of mine, though it does appear he might be acclimating a bit slower to the college game despite an athletic skill set I love.

If Notre Dame can get meaningful contributions from even a couple of these younger pass catchers, this wide receiver room has the potential to go from good to the best the program has seen in a long time.

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