SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football senior cornerback Christian Gray has played 1,632 defensive snaps over the past three seasons.
Of those, just 99 — or 6.1% —have come in the nickelback (or slot corner) role, according to Pro Football Focus.
That could change in Gray’s final college season, according to newly hired co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Aaron Henry.
“With a guy as talented as him, I think you work him inside, you work him outside,” Henry said Wednesday in his first media session since leaving Illinois. “You just try to give him the opportunity to just really showcase his ability, showcase his talent.”
At 6-foot and 185 pounds, Gray has made 25 starts over the past two seasons, seeing time at both boundary and field corner. With returning All-American Leonard Moore locking down the boundary again in 2026, the Irish have options in their secondary.
Gray’s physical style of play led to 15 assessed penalties over the past two seasons, one more than the aggregate total of all other Irish cornerbacks in that span. After battling through nagging injuries last season, it’s possible Gray would fare better in traffic as opposed to the lonely perimeter.
“We have a couple of nickel candidates that we’re going to play there,” Henry said. “Obviously, Dallas Golden as well. But Christian is a guy who has shown he can play outside. (We) may move him inside and see if he can do it.”
Since Marcus Freeman’s arrival in 2021, first as defensive coordinator and later as head coach, Notre Dame has gone with slot corners TaRiq Bracy (2021-22), Thomas Harper (2023), Jordan Clark (2024), DeVonta Smith (2025) and Dallas Golden (2025).
Bracy was listed at 5-10 and 185 pounds. Harper (5-11, 195), Clark (5-10, 182) and Smith (5-11, 195) all fell within a similar range upon signing out of the transfer portal from Oklahoma State, Arizona State and Alabama, respectively.
Golden, a rising sophomore, had to learn nickelback in less than a week last season ahead of the Week 3 win over Purdue. He’s listed at 6-foot and 195 pounds.
Notre Dame added two more corners out of the transfer portal last month in Michigan’s Jayden Sanders (6-foot, 199) and Colorado’s DJ McKinney (6-2, 180). The latter, who started his career at Oklahoma State with Harper, played 91 snaps at nickelback or box safety the past two seasons.
“We have a group of young guys and the freshmen who are coming in who are extremely talented,” Henry said. “We have some transfer guys who I think the world of. … It’s trying to find the best group of guys who give us the best chance to go out there and have success when we roll out the ball, whether it’s spring practice or fall camp or the season.”
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football contemplates moving Christian Gray inside
Reporting by Mike Berardino, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
