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Notre Dame enters the 2026 season with one of the nation's best quarterbacks in CJ Carr, but a major question is will the Irish have a wide receiving corps that matches their big time passer. There is no question that Notre Dame has loads of talent and potential, but proven production is limited, and the position has largely been a disappointment in recent seasons.
Position coach Mike Brown has the group trending in a positive direction over the last two years, and this will be Notre Dame's deepest group in a very long time. There is also a case to be made that it is the most talented group in some time, but that will get proven out in the fall.
Let’s continue our 2026 Notre Dame Preview series with a look at the wide receiver group.
Jordan Faison - 49 catches, 640 yards, 13.1 YPC, 4 TD
Jaden Greathouse - 42 catches, 592 yards, 14.1 YPC, 4 TD (2024)
Micah Gilbert - 9 catches, 93 yards, 10.3 YPC, 1 TD
Mylan Graham - 6 catches, 93 yards, 15.5 YPC, 0 TD
Quincy Porter - 4 catches, 59 yards, 14.8 YPC, 0 TD
Elijah Burress - 3 catches, 21 yards, 7.0 YPC, 0 TD
Matt Jeffery - 1 catch, 37 yards, 0 TD
Cam Williams - 1 catch, 6 yards, 0 TD
Jerome Bettis Jr. - 1 catch, 6 yards, 0 TD
Logan Saldate - 1 catch, 2 yards, 0 TD
There is no question that expectations are sky high for the Notre Dame wide receivers heading into the 2026 season. The only question at this point is will they live up to those expectations, or will this be another season where we wonder "what if" with the Notre Dame wideouts. We've seen improvement from the wideouts in each season under Brown, with last year being the best we've seen from the Notre Dame wide receiver room in a number of years despite not having Jaden Greathouse healthy for most of the season.
While the unit was improved, there's another level it can — and must — get to if the Irish are going to have an offense good enough to win a championship. That means the unit must not only improve its production, but it must improve it's overall play. Brown's receivers block hard and we've seen improvement from a route running standpoint, but they need to play with more urgency and as a group must be much better when it comes to competing for the football.
In 2026, the Irish receivers need to be able to take over games more, either one or two players, or as a group. Some focus on needing one player to be come "the man" at the position, but I also think you can have an elite group where it's different players from a deep group stepping up each week. As long as they are getting clutch play, impact play and consistent high-level play the offense will be outstanding.
A challenge for Brown and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock is making sure they are using all the talent in the room, but also making sure they are getting continuity from the players they are using. Building around the skillsets of the wideouts will also be important. Notre Dame ran a relatively static, horizontal stretch focused pass game last season. Using more speed routes, getting players in space more and doing more crossers, mesh and high-low concepts would help the group utilize their skills as well.
It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse were freshmen standouts. Greathouse had a great start to that season, catching two touchdowns in his first career game and hauling in 12 passes in the first five games. Faison didn't catch his first pass until game seven, but it went for a touchdown. He ended that season with five catches, 115 yards and a touchdown in the Sun Bowl win over Oregon State.
Faison was banged up for much of 2024, but he gritted it out and started to look like the player we thought he could be in the playoffs. He caught seven passes for 89 yards in the playoff win over Indiana and was productive in the Sugar Bowl win over Georgia. Greathouse dominated in the final two playoff games, hauling in 13 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns in the Orange Bowl win over Penn State and in the title game against Ohio State. Greathouse finished the season as Notre Dame's leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns and was just one catch shy of the team lead in receptions.
This duo was expected to be impactful last season, but Greathouse and Carr never got on the same page and Brown seemed to push hard to get Will Pauling going. Greathouse went down for the season after just four games, so we never got to see the Greathouse-Faison duo take off. Faison did his part, leading the Irish in catches and receiving yards last season. Faison struggled at the start of the season, catching just seven passes for 50 yards in losses to Miami and Texas A&M, and he caught just seven passes for 66 yards in wins over USC and Pittsburgh.
Greathouse and Faison have both shown they can produce, but they both have a lot to prove this season. Greathouse has to prove he can get and stay healthy, and he has to show he can consistently do what he's done in his best moments. He's a clutch receiver, but he can't go weeks without being more productive. Part of that is on the quarterback and the coaches, but part of it is on Greathouse as well. If we can see more of the dominant player we saw in 2024 against Penn State, Ohio State, Louisville, Florida State and when making impact contested catches against Georgia Tech he could have a big time senior season.
Faison needs to show he can produce like he did last season, but be better against the better teams on the schedule. As good as he was last season, there's another level for him as a route runner and playmaker. Faison caught a lot of passes on stop/comeback routes, and plays where he was more of the checkdown player. If he can play with more urgency, especially as a route runner, he could become an even more dangerous, impactful player.
Notre Dame landed a pair of talented wide receivers out of the portal when it signed former Ohio State pass catchers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter. Both were big time recruits but neither has made much of an impact so far in college.
Graham can play both field positions, and he showed this spring he has good route running instincts and the athletic skill to make a lot of plays. He'll need to keep getting stronger, but he has the versatility and tools to be a difference maker for the Irish. He played mostly in the slot this spring, but he was an outside receiver for the Buckeyes. If Greathouse gets back healthy I would love to see Notre Dame finally move its field receivers around more, with all three players (Graham, Greathouse, Faison) getting chances to play inside and outside in different combinations. Graham still has a lot to prove, but his potential as an after-the-catch player and his route running prowess add something impactful to the offense.
Porter adds immediate size to the depth chart, something it was lacking after Malachi Fields exhausted his eligibility. Porter is coming off a knee injury, so it's a bit unknown where he'll be from a health and development standpoint once the season starters. If he can get healthy, Porter has the size, speed and downfield ball skills to give the offense very similar attributes that Fields gave it.
There is a lot of talent with this pair, but they have a lot to prove after coming for just 10 catches in three combined season (2 for Graham, 1 for Porter).
There was a lot of excitement when the 2024 wide receiver class signed with Notre Dame. Cam Williams was one of the nation's best receivers in the class, earning a Top 50 prospect grade. Micah Gilbert and Logan Saldate were also both four-star prospects and the group was supposed to make an early impact. So far that has not happened, with Gilbert being a solid backup last season (9 catches, 93 yards, 1 TD) and both Williams and Saldate failing to crack the two-deep.
I would argue that how well this group develops this season could be the difference between this being a good to very good wide receiver room, or an elite wide receiver room.
This is a make or break season for Williams. He tantalizes with his talent. He's long, explosive and has big time playmaking potential, but he's going into his junior season and we are still talking about potential. Williams showed flashes again this spring, but he's got to take a big jump this summer and in fall camp. I'm not predicting Williams to have a breakout, as I'm in "show me" mode with him. But if he does break out, even if it's just as a big play rotation player that can catch 15-20 passes and average 17+ yards per catch, he changes how teams defend this group.
Gilbert draws a lot of praise for what he's done in practice in recent seasons, but he hasn't been able to translate that practice production into Saturday production. He's long and has a good size/strength package. Gilbert has continued to improve as a route runner and he got off to a hot start this spring, but he didn't do much in the final two big practices (Jersey Scrimmage, Blue-Gold Game). Gilbert will battle with Porter and Williams for the boundary spot, and if he can finally meet expectations he will help solidify that position.
Saldate made his presence felt this spring, including an impressive post route touchdown in the Jersey Scrimmage. He moved outside and the transition was smooth, with Saldate showing good playmaking skills. The issue is that he's buried behind some older, more productive players (Faison, Greathouse). In past years he's likely in the rotation, if not starting, but he's in a battle to get on the field for 2026.
Another junior — Matt Jeffery — came to Notre Dame as a lacrosse star, and he's lived up to that so far. But he also earned legit snaps last season and I'm curious to see if he can do that again in 2026.
Just the players mentioned above is enough to get fans excited about the potential of the wide receiver room, but that's not close to being all they have. Notre Dame has seven true freshmen and redshirt freshmen on the roster that also add a lot of talent and potential to the room.
Redshirt freshman Elijah Burress is yet another unproven, but very talented pass catcher for the Irish. He's a dynamic route runner with quality athletic skills and good ball skills. Like Saldate, if Burress had been at Notre Dame in a different period he's a lock to be in the rotation, if not the starting lineup. He'll need a strong summer and fall camp to force his way into the rotation for 2026. That might not happen, but if he's willing to be patient and keep working his time will come. Classmate Jerome Bettis Jr. had a good start to the spring but a lower leg injury cost him a chunk of time. He's unlikely to push for playing time in 2026.
True freshman Bubba Frazier is going to be tough to keep off the field in 2026, either as a wide receiver or return man. His game is different from what the Irish have on the roster, with Frazier possessing an exciting blend of speed, dynamic after-the-catch ability and strength for a player his size and age. He was an impact player this spring and he'll have a chance to build on that and earn a rotation spot in the fall. I wouldn't be surprised if Frazier also pushes for a role in the return game.
Fellow freshman Devin Fitzgerald also made a major splash this spring, showing he can win contested catches, make big plays down the field and his route running showed growth from his high school days. He's also filled out nicely and if he can keep doing in the fall what he did in the spring he'll make it tough to keep him on the sidelines. If any of the veteran boundary receivers falters or misses time they might not be able to get their spot back from Fitzgerald.
A player to keep an eye on in fall camp is Kaydon Finley, who was the most heralded of the rookie pass catchers. He had the slowest adjustment of the three freshmen that practiced this spring, and if he wants to play as a rookie he'll need to be more assertive and learn the playbook more. But if he does that, Finley could also be hard to keep off the field thanks to his combination of size, ball skills, feel for getting open and route running potential.
Classmate Brayden Robinson is an incredibly explosive athlete but he's coming back from a knee injury. Freshman Dylan Faison spent the spring playing lacrosse and he'll also likely need a year of development before he makes noise, but these two rookies are also very talented.
1. Can Greathouse Stay Healthy And Be Consistent? - He's arguably the biggest wildcard on offense, much less the wide receiver position. What will we get from Greathouse? Will he be healthy? Will he be able to stay healthy? Is he the receiver that goes stretches in each season without doing much, only to then have a breakout game or two? Or, can Greathouse finally stay healthy, string together strong performances and be the impact player we all know he can be.
2. Will The Junior Class Finally Step Up? - This group could hold the key to this unit becoming an elite position group. Williams has star talent, but obviously has yet to show a star game. Does that finally happen? Can Gilbert turn his practice performance into game day dominance? This duo has the talent to make a major, major impact this season and the Irish need at least one to do so. Can both? No idea, but if they do this receiving room will be Notre Dame's best since at least 2015, if not further back.
3. Will The Portal Pickups Live Up To Prep Rankings? - The same is true for Graham and Porter. They have immense potential, but they have the same number of career catches as Gilbert and Williams. Are they as good as advertised? Notre Dame is hoping so, and Graham showed potential this spring. If this group lives up to their prep billing and portal hype they will be immediate difference makers beside Faison and hopefully Greathouse.
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Position coach Mike Brown has the group trending in a positive direction over the last two years, and this will be Notre Dame's deepest group in a very long time. There is also a case to be made that it is the most talented group in some time, but that will get proven out in the fall.
Let’s continue our 2026 Notre Dame Preview series with a look at the wide receiver group.
DEPTH CHART
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RETURNING PRODUCTION
Jordan Faison - 49 catches, 640 yards, 13.1 YPC, 4 TD
Jaden Greathouse - 42 catches, 592 yards, 14.1 YPC, 4 TD (2024)
Micah Gilbert - 9 catches, 93 yards, 10.3 YPC, 1 TD
Mylan Graham - 6 catches, 93 yards, 15.5 YPC, 0 TD
Quincy Porter - 4 catches, 59 yards, 14.8 YPC, 0 TD
Elijah Burress - 3 catches, 21 yards, 7.0 YPC, 0 TD
Matt Jeffery - 1 catch, 37 yards, 0 TD
Cam Williams - 1 catch, 6 yards, 0 TD
Jerome Bettis Jr. - 1 catch, 6 yards, 0 TD
Logan Saldate - 1 catch, 2 yards, 0 TD
2026 EXPECTATIONS
There is no question that expectations are sky high for the Notre Dame wide receivers heading into the 2026 season. The only question at this point is will they live up to those expectations, or will this be another season where we wonder "what if" with the Notre Dame wideouts. We've seen improvement from the wideouts in each season under Brown, with last year being the best we've seen from the Notre Dame wide receiver room in a number of years despite not having Jaden Greathouse healthy for most of the season.
While the unit was improved, there's another level it can — and must — get to if the Irish are going to have an offense good enough to win a championship. That means the unit must not only improve its production, but it must improve it's overall play. Brown's receivers block hard and we've seen improvement from a route running standpoint, but they need to play with more urgency and as a group must be much better when it comes to competing for the football.
In 2026, the Irish receivers need to be able to take over games more, either one or two players, or as a group. Some focus on needing one player to be come "the man" at the position, but I also think you can have an elite group where it's different players from a deep group stepping up each week. As long as they are getting clutch play, impact play and consistent high-level play the offense will be outstanding.
A challenge for Brown and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock is making sure they are using all the talent in the room, but also making sure they are getting continuity from the players they are using. Building around the skillsets of the wideouts will also be important. Notre Dame ran a relatively static, horizontal stretch focused pass game last season. Using more speed routes, getting players in space more and doing more crossers, mesh and high-low concepts would help the group utilize their skills as well.
SENIOR CLASS TAKES OVER
It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse were freshmen standouts. Greathouse had a great start to that season, catching two touchdowns in his first career game and hauling in 12 passes in the first five games. Faison didn't catch his first pass until game seven, but it went for a touchdown. He ended that season with five catches, 115 yards and a touchdown in the Sun Bowl win over Oregon State.
Faison was banged up for much of 2024, but he gritted it out and started to look like the player we thought he could be in the playoffs. He caught seven passes for 89 yards in the playoff win over Indiana and was productive in the Sugar Bowl win over Georgia. Greathouse dominated in the final two playoff games, hauling in 13 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns in the Orange Bowl win over Penn State and in the title game against Ohio State. Greathouse finished the season as Notre Dame's leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns and was just one catch shy of the team lead in receptions.
This duo was expected to be impactful last season, but Greathouse and Carr never got on the same page and Brown seemed to push hard to get Will Pauling going. Greathouse went down for the season after just four games, so we never got to see the Greathouse-Faison duo take off. Faison did his part, leading the Irish in catches and receiving yards last season. Faison struggled at the start of the season, catching just seven passes for 50 yards in losses to Miami and Texas A&M, and he caught just seven passes for 66 yards in wins over USC and Pittsburgh.
Greathouse and Faison have both shown they can produce, but they both have a lot to prove this season. Greathouse has to prove he can get and stay healthy, and he has to show he can consistently do what he's done in his best moments. He's a clutch receiver, but he can't go weeks without being more productive. Part of that is on the quarterback and the coaches, but part of it is on Greathouse as well. If we can see more of the dominant player we saw in 2024 against Penn State, Ohio State, Louisville, Florida State and when making impact contested catches against Georgia Tech he could have a big time senior season.
Faison needs to show he can produce like he did last season, but be better against the better teams on the schedule. As good as he was last season, there's another level for him as a route runner and playmaker. Faison caught a lot of passes on stop/comeback routes, and plays where he was more of the checkdown player. If he can play with more urgency, especially as a route runner, he could become an even more dangerous, impactful player.
PORTAL IMPACT
Notre Dame landed a pair of talented wide receivers out of the portal when it signed former Ohio State pass catchers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter. Both were big time recruits but neither has made much of an impact so far in college.
Graham can play both field positions, and he showed this spring he has good route running instincts and the athletic skill to make a lot of plays. He'll need to keep getting stronger, but he has the versatility and tools to be a difference maker for the Irish. He played mostly in the slot this spring, but he was an outside receiver for the Buckeyes. If Greathouse gets back healthy I would love to see Notre Dame finally move its field receivers around more, with all three players (Graham, Greathouse, Faison) getting chances to play inside and outside in different combinations. Graham still has a lot to prove, but his potential as an after-the-catch player and his route running prowess add something impactful to the offense.
Porter adds immediate size to the depth chart, something it was lacking after Malachi Fields exhausted his eligibility. Porter is coming off a knee injury, so it's a bit unknown where he'll be from a health and development standpoint once the season starters. If he can get healthy, Porter has the size, speed and downfield ball skills to give the offense very similar attributes that Fields gave it.
There is a lot of talent with this pair, but they have a lot to prove after coming for just 10 catches in three combined season (2 for Graham, 1 for Porter).
NOW OR NEVER FOR JUNIORS
There was a lot of excitement when the 2024 wide receiver class signed with Notre Dame. Cam Williams was one of the nation's best receivers in the class, earning a Top 50 prospect grade. Micah Gilbert and Logan Saldate were also both four-star prospects and the group was supposed to make an early impact. So far that has not happened, with Gilbert being a solid backup last season (9 catches, 93 yards, 1 TD) and both Williams and Saldate failing to crack the two-deep.
I would argue that how well this group develops this season could be the difference between this being a good to very good wide receiver room, or an elite wide receiver room.
This is a make or break season for Williams. He tantalizes with his talent. He's long, explosive and has big time playmaking potential, but he's going into his junior season and we are still talking about potential. Williams showed flashes again this spring, but he's got to take a big jump this summer and in fall camp. I'm not predicting Williams to have a breakout, as I'm in "show me" mode with him. But if he does break out, even if it's just as a big play rotation player that can catch 15-20 passes and average 17+ yards per catch, he changes how teams defend this group.
Gilbert draws a lot of praise for what he's done in practice in recent seasons, but he hasn't been able to translate that practice production into Saturday production. He's long and has a good size/strength package. Gilbert has continued to improve as a route runner and he got off to a hot start this spring, but he didn't do much in the final two big practices (Jersey Scrimmage, Blue-Gold Game). Gilbert will battle with Porter and Williams for the boundary spot, and if he can finally meet expectations he will help solidify that position.
Saldate made his presence felt this spring, including an impressive post route touchdown in the Jersey Scrimmage. He moved outside and the transition was smooth, with Saldate showing good playmaking skills. The issue is that he's buried behind some older, more productive players (Faison, Greathouse). In past years he's likely in the rotation, if not starting, but he's in a battle to get on the field for 2026.
Another junior — Matt Jeffery — came to Notre Dame as a lacrosse star, and he's lived up to that so far. But he also earned legit snaps last season and I'm curious to see if he can do that again in 2026.
IMPRESSIVE YOUTH
Just the players mentioned above is enough to get fans excited about the potential of the wide receiver room, but that's not close to being all they have. Notre Dame has seven true freshmen and redshirt freshmen on the roster that also add a lot of talent and potential to the room.
Redshirt freshman Elijah Burress is yet another unproven, but very talented pass catcher for the Irish. He's a dynamic route runner with quality athletic skills and good ball skills. Like Saldate, if Burress had been at Notre Dame in a different period he's a lock to be in the rotation, if not the starting lineup. He'll need a strong summer and fall camp to force his way into the rotation for 2026. That might not happen, but if he's willing to be patient and keep working his time will come. Classmate Jerome Bettis Jr. had a good start to the spring but a lower leg injury cost him a chunk of time. He's unlikely to push for playing time in 2026.
True freshman Bubba Frazier is going to be tough to keep off the field in 2026, either as a wide receiver or return man. His game is different from what the Irish have on the roster, with Frazier possessing an exciting blend of speed, dynamic after-the-catch ability and strength for a player his size and age. He was an impact player this spring and he'll have a chance to build on that and earn a rotation spot in the fall. I wouldn't be surprised if Frazier also pushes for a role in the return game.
Fellow freshman Devin Fitzgerald also made a major splash this spring, showing he can win contested catches, make big plays down the field and his route running showed growth from his high school days. He's also filled out nicely and if he can keep doing in the fall what he did in the spring he'll make it tough to keep him on the sidelines. If any of the veteran boundary receivers falters or misses time they might not be able to get their spot back from Fitzgerald.
A player to keep an eye on in fall camp is Kaydon Finley, who was the most heralded of the rookie pass catchers. He had the slowest adjustment of the three freshmen that practiced this spring, and if he wants to play as a rookie he'll need to be more assertive and learn the playbook more. But if he does that, Finley could also be hard to keep off the field thanks to his combination of size, ball skills, feel for getting open and route running potential.
Classmate Brayden Robinson is an incredibly explosive athlete but he's coming back from a knee injury. Freshman Dylan Faison spent the spring playing lacrosse and he'll also likely need a year of development before he makes noise, but these two rookies are also very talented.
BIGGEST QUESTIONS
1. Can Greathouse Stay Healthy And Be Consistent? - He's arguably the biggest wildcard on offense, much less the wide receiver position. What will we get from Greathouse? Will he be healthy? Will he be able to stay healthy? Is he the receiver that goes stretches in each season without doing much, only to then have a breakout game or two? Or, can Greathouse finally stay healthy, string together strong performances and be the impact player we all know he can be.
2. Will The Junior Class Finally Step Up? - This group could hold the key to this unit becoming an elite position group. Williams has star talent, but obviously has yet to show a star game. Does that finally happen? Can Gilbert turn his practice performance into game day dominance? This duo has the talent to make a major, major impact this season and the Irish need at least one to do so. Can both? No idea, but if they do this receiving room will be Notre Dame's best since at least 2015, if not further back.
3. Will The Portal Pickups Live Up To Prep Rankings? - The same is true for Graham and Porter. They have immense potential, but they have the same number of career catches as Gilbert and Williams. Are they as good as advertised? Notre Dame is hoping so, and Graham showed potential this spring. If this group lives up to their prep billing and portal hype they will be immediate difference makers beside Faison and hopefully Greathouse.
———————
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