A Notre Dame Rising Star Named On ESPN's Post-Spring Under-The-Radar Watchlist
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We're inching closer and closer to the start of the 2026 college football season, but there's a lot a ground to cover until then. ESPN has gone back to their Way-Too-Early Top 25 and take a deeper dive into each team. Earlier this week, they released an article on the most 'under the radar' players of each Top 25 team. For the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, it's a name we're very familiar with, safety Tae Johnson.
"The redshirt sophomore from Fort Wayne, Indiana, isn't going by "Tae" anymore, so it's time to learn his full name — you'll be hearing it often," Heather Dinich shared. "Johnson had a strong season as a redshirt freshman, but it happened quietly, as he was in the secondary with cornerback Leonard Moore, who drew the national spotlight. Johnson won't be a secret anymore.
"He has the potential to be one of the best safeties in the country this fall," Dinich continued. "He played in 10 games last year and started eight, finishing fourth on the team with 48 tackles (35 solo) and was second with four interceptions. He makes game-changing plays and has the ability to disrupt passing lanes. He also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown against Texas A&M and had a pick-six in the first quarter at Pitt."
Johnson was a player that broke out last season and found his name on the Football Writer's Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-American Team. Due to his outstanding performance last season, the Fort Wayne native was also named the No. 1 returning safety in college football according to Pro Football Focus.
The 6-2, 200-pound safety burst onto the scene in 2025 at home under the lights against Texas A&M where he played over 50 snaps on defense and recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown. Johnson entered the starting lineup against Purdue and didn't look back. He finished his 2025 campaign second on the team in interceptions and could have had more. Johnson recorded his first career interception against Boise State, picked off Boston College twice and recorded a pick six against Pitt on the road.
Johnson has two main questions heading into this season, the first being around his health. He dealt with an injury in 2024 as a true freshman and missed the final two games of the regular season with a hand injury. He was back and fully healthy this spring, but health throughout the season will be a major part of his success.
The only other question Johnson has left to answer is how good he can be in 2026? The ceiling is exceptionally high for the rising redshirt sophomore, and he's the second half of the best safety tandem returning in college football. Johnson is an electric playmaker and helps solidify the back end of Notre Dame's highly talented and deep defense. This season could be a major year for Johnson going from an under-the-radar type of talent to a national star.
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