It’s that time of year again
The annual offseason tradition continues. This started (for me, at least) back before the 2022 season when the gents on the now-Earned Five-Star Podcast did a draft of their five “boys” from the Notre Dame football roster. In other words, the five players who, when they make a good play during a game, you can say: “that’s my boy/guy/dude.”
Here were the previous iterations of my guys:
· 2022: Michael Mayer, Jacob Lacey, Houston Griffith, Prince Kollie and Audric Estime (honorable mention Gabriel Rubio)
· 2023: Estime, Rubio, Davis Sherwood, Holden Staes and Xavier Watts*
· 2024: Rubio, Sherwood, Rocco Spindler, Jadarian Price and Kenny Minchey
*Watts got left out of my 2024 cohort in part because I genuinely forgot that I had picked him the year prior, but I think it ultimately worked out because it’s more in keeping with the spirit of the draft to root for guys who could use a rooting interest rather than reigning Nagurski winners (although, to be sure, bragging rights can be asserted based on how one of your guys pans out)
So, with the prelude out of the way, here are my five dudes of the 2025 Notre Dame football roster.
Gabriel Rubio
Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
Rubio’s been on board since this tradition started. And I couldn’t be more excited seeing as how this is a long-term investment that’s (hopefully) about to pay off.
Rubio’s been stuck behind the likes of Kurt Hinish, Jayson Ademilola, Riley Mills and Howard Cross III for most of his career, not to mention dealing with an injury that sidelined him for a chunk of 2024. It was even to the point that he almost transferred after the 2023 season, but he’s still here and poised to lead the Irish defensive line after flashing at the end of last year following injuries to Cross and Mills.
Jadarian Price
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
Like I said before last season, I feel like Price gets a little bit of a raw deal because people are enamored with Jeremiyah Love (the pun became intended midway through typing that).
To be sure, Love ultimately earned the hype after what he did throughout 2024, but Price is now a full three years removed from his achilles injury and could be the starting running back on a vast majority of FBS teams. It’s a luxury to have that as the No. 2 guy in the stable, instead of just a warm body to save wear and tear on the starter.
Kenny Minchey
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
To be clear, I don’t have a dog in the quarterback battle currently ongoing between Minchey and C.J. Carr. Like most Notre Dame fans, I anticipate Carr will win the job, and if he does I will root strongly for him to be the best quarterback in Notre Dame history. But I root for Minchey because I feel like he got the raw deal of being seen by fans (and even some media) as the “middle child” sandwiched between fan favorite backup Steve Angeli and the messianic Carr.
What’s more, by all accounts, Minchey never considered transferring from Notre Dame after his freshman season—even if people in his camp might have wanted him to—because he genuinely loves Notre Dame. Combine that with how he comes off in interviews (and the fact he can do a backflip as showcased after a Blue-Gold Game touchdown) and what isn’t there to love?
I’ll admit, Minchey managing to arguably overtake Angeli this spring was a little surprising even to me. But I’m always happy to have a quarterback on the roster who shows genuine capabilities as both a passer and a runner, even if neither one of those assets is on the level of Riley Leonard’s running ability (as seen last season).
Aamil Wagner
Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I need an offensive lineman on the list if we’re drafting Notre Dame football players. After all, Marcus Freeman’s program is one driven by the offensive and defensive lines.
Wagner was a somewhat unexpected starter last season. He struggled to put on sufficient weight early in his career, but he found a good balance for his uniquely athletic frame to hold down the right tackle spot. Then he wound up being the only offensive lineman to start every game in 2024. Between being a really good, if not great, offensive tackle, and having a Kentucky connection (his brother Ahmad played receiver for the Wildcats), this was a pretty easy pick.
Kevin Bauman
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
You can also always go for a tight end when drafting from Notre Dame. And it’s in keeping with the spirit of this exercise to draft guys who are under-the-radar. That’s Bauman, a guy from the 2020 recruiting class (i.e., Michael Mayer’s class).
Between a broken leg and two ACL tears, Bauman couldn’t catch a break for most of his first four seasons with the Irish, although he managed to stay healthy and play in 14 games last year, catching his first career touchdown against Purdue. Speaking sentimentally, I can’t help but root for a guy who’s been through what Bauman has. And while he might be third- or even fourth-string, Cooper Flanagan’s achilles injury leaves open the possibility of seeing Bauman pop in a 13- or 14-personnel package in fourth-and-short or goal-line situations.
Drop your 2025 boys in the comments.