Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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32 PRESEASON 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY TYLER JAMES M ost of Notre Dame's 2023 re- cruiting class already had two seasons of eligibility remain- ing entering 2026, because at some point during their first three sea- sons of college football, they met the re- quirements for a redshirt season. Only three players who were recruited out of high school by Notre Dame and signed with the Irish as scholarship play- ers in the 2023 class didn't redshirt in any of the past three seasons: linebacker Drayk Bowen, wide receiver Jordan Fai- son and cornerback Christian Gray. But instead of entering their final season of eligibility in 2026, a new rule from the NCAA will allow them to play at the col- legiate level for a fifth season regardless of how much they play this fall. This summer, the NCAA adopted an age-based eligibility model that gives all Division I student-athletes up to five years of eligibility if they enroll in col- lege no later than the academic year after their 19th birthday. That change will be fully implemented for the incoming class of freshmen in the fall of 2027, but stu- dent-athletes who entered the 2026-27 school year with remaining eligibility can apply that rule if it benefits them more than the old model that allowed four sea- sons of eligibility in five years. That means the upcoming college football season doesn't necessarily have to be the last for Bowen, Faison and Gray. That also applies to senior defensive tackle Elijah Hughes, who transferred from Southern Cal in 2025, and senior safety Luke Talich, who initially came to Notre Dame as a preferred walk-on. The trio of Bowen, Faison and Gray might not be interested in returning to college football following the 2026 sea- son. They've each been in a starting role at Notre Dame for at least one season and have received many opportunities to prove their potential worth to the NFL. But with money legally flowing to student-athletes in the current land- scape, they may have more to consider this winter than previously anticipated. Hughes and Talich seem like prime candidates to stick around in college football for another year, even if it's not at Notre Dame. They could use more start- SENIORS WITH OPTIONS New eligibility rule allows fifth year for entire 2023 class No Notre Dame player has racked up more tackles the past two seasons than linebacker Drayk Bowen's 145 (78 in 2024 and 67 in 2025). PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER