Notre Dame NFL Draft Preview - Part II

In the final part of their NFL Draft Preview, Brian and Trev from the Irish Breakdown Podcast dive deep into Notre Dame's 2026 draft prospects, focusing on players beyond the early-round favorites. They begin with Billy Shrouth, a highly talented offensive tackle whose elite pass-blocking film and leadership at Notre Dame are overshadowed by a concerning injury history that has dropped his draft stock to the fourth or fifth round. Next, they examine Eli Raritan, a 6'6" tight end with elite size and vertical ability, whose inconsistent production and film have limited his draft projection to late day two or early day three. Emile Wagner, a durable and character-driven tackle with no injury history, is seen as a likely late-round or undrafted free agent due to below-average athleticism and testing numbers. The hosts express surprise at the lack of mock draft attention for Will Pauling and Devontae Smith—two players with strong production and elite Pro Day numbers—suggesting they could be overlooked gems in rounds six or seven. They also discuss other transfer portal players like Jalen Stroman, Junior Chilamaca, Jared Dawson, and Jordan Patejo, all of whom face hurdles due to size, athleticism, or lack of production. The episode ends with a hopeful note: despite the odds, Notre Dame’s recent defensive success and the potential for late-round steals could lead to more Fighting Irish players hearing their names called than expected.