Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 52-0vs Rice | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#56
Elijah Hughes
Senior defensive lineman on Notre Dame's 2026 roster.
6′3″ · 295 lb · Arlington, VA · Washington-Liberty/USC
CFB Index 12 · #400 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Notre Dame for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
3 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, vs Rice
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman on Notre Dame's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to USC in 2023.
- Transferred from USC to Notre Dame in 2025.
Elijah Hughes
Wins his gap play after play. Two head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. One game to point at: 3 tackles against Rice — Week 2, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20233 games
- Signed with USC3-star out of Washington-Liberty
20259 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Notre Dame
Played his entire career under Marcus Freeman.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023USC8-5HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning, slow tempo
2024USC7-6HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning
2025Notre Dame10-2HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026Notre Dame2-0HC: Marcus Freeman · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Marcus Freeman
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
12 · #400 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #400 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Notre Dame | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Notre Dame | 21 | 14 | 3.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | USC | 6 | 4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | USC | 5 | 3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 35 | 22 | 5.5 | 2.5 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Notre Dame
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Notre Dame
Returning around him
- 6 Notre Dame players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -9 net (7 in / 16 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Notre Dame · Last season: 10-2 (AP #9) · Talent rank #6 · 2026 recruiting class #5
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Isaiah Nichols’s 2023 season.
Matches Isaiah on
TFL rate
Sack rate
Height
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Sean FitzSimmons's junior season at Pittsburgh (2024).
98%match
Matches Sean on
Class year
Sack rate
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Elijah Hughes
The defensive line · Notre Dame
- #5Boubacar Traore10 tackles for loss · 2025
- #7Francis Brewu6 tackles for loss · 2025
- #56Elijah Hughes3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #11Keon Keeley3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #95Bryce Young2 tackles for loss · 2025
15 more on the roster · Notre Dame team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology