Notre Dame 2025 Roster Analysis: Offensive Line Room Is Deep And Talented
In contrast to a season ago, Notre Dame returns a lot of experience at the offensive line position. Their size, strength and athleticism positions them to be one of the best units in the country this upcoming season. With a new and inexperienced starting quarterback under center this fall, this group will have to perform at a higher level than in previous years to have another successful season.
This fall, the Irish return five offensive lineman who all have starting experience. Leading the charge is right tackle Aamil Wagner who started all 16 games in 2024. Wagner played a team leading 973 snaps last season and only allowed two sacks over the course of the season. Rising sophomore Anthonie Knapp is right behind him with 15 starts under his belt. Knapp stepped into the lineup last fall camp when presumed starter Charles Jagusah went down with an injury holding him out the entirety of the regular season.
Knapp stepped in at left tackle and started every game up until the National Championship game due to an injury sustained in the first half of the Penn State game. Left guard Billy Schrauth started 12 games last season due to missing four games in the middle of the year with an ankle injury. He returned against Navy and started the remainder of the season at left guard after beginning the season at right guard.
Center Ashton Craig went down with an injury in the third week of the season. He started three games in 2023 and three games in 2024. He has been cleared this summer to return as a full participant. Jagusah returns as the most inexperienced starter on this unit, however, he might have the highest ceiling of the bunch. He returned from injury against Penn State where he entered the game at right guard. Jagusah then started at left tackle in the national title game in place of Knapp.
As a group, these five offensive lineman only allowed eight sacks in a 16 game season. However, due to injury, we have yet to see this group of five on the field at the same time. This year they will have to play cohesively and improve in consistent pass protection.
Post Spring Analysis
Due to injury and load management, we didn’t get to see a lot of the starters over the course of spring practice. Knapp and Schrauth were kept out of team drills until the week of the Blue Gold game. Craig still wasn’t cleared to return from his ACL tear and Wagner was held to a pitch count. Jagusah was the only player we saw consistently in the first team lineup week in and week out.
This paved the way for a lot of the inexperienced talent in the room to grow and develop this spring with meaningful reps. Rising junior Sullivan Absher has played all over the offensive line so far during his time in South Bend. This spring, he worked out at both guard positions as well as center. At 6-7 318 pounds, Absher can be a valuable asset to this unit over the course of the season.
Unfortunately, the injuries didn’t end with the conclusion of last season. Talented rising sophomore Guerby Lambert was injured halfway through spring practice and was ruled out until the end of summer/early fall camp. Lambert was taking reps at both left and right tackle. He has an extremely high ceiling and could have pushed for a starting position if it weren’t for the injury.
