Cooper Flanagan’s return, James Flanigan’s homecoming headline Notre Dame tight end room

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Notre Dame is less than two weeks away from opening its season against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, and after weeks of position battles dominating fall camp, the Irish are beginning to get a clearer picture of what their offense could look like.

At tight end, however, that picture may include plenty of different faces. Notre Dame enters the season needing to replace Eli Raridon, who was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the NFL draft. Head coach Marcus Freeman said Friday that Cooper Flanagan and James Flanigan are expected to lead the room early, with Jack Larsen and Ty Washington also in the mix.

However, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said Tuesday that nothing is set in stone yet and Notre Dame’s depth could allow the Irish to rotate several players throughout the season.

“I think we got a deep room, which is a good thing, but I think it will be a little tight end-by-committee at times,” Denbrock said. “I think we are four or five deep in that room that can play meaningful snaps and play championship football.”

One of the veterans expected to help set the tone is Cooper Flanagan. Flanagan appeared in 13 games for Notre Dame in 2024 before an Achilles injury took away nearly all of last season. Now entering his senior year, Flanagan said the recovery process challenged him both physically and mentally.

“I feel like I kinda felt sorry for myself,” Flanagan said. “Going into my senior year, I’m an older guy now, which is crazy because I still feel so young, but I’m trying to be more vocal for the whole offense.”

Alongside him is James Flanigan, who made an early impact during his true freshman season. At 6-foot-6, Flanigan quickly established himself as a physical presence, particularly as a blocker. Plus, his sophomore season will begin in a place that carries additional meaning for him. Flanigan grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and his father, Jim Flanigan, spent time with the Packers during his NFL career.

“Our ticket count right now is around 60, which is what my mom shared with me,” Flanigan said. “Especially my dad has been like, ‘Don’t get caught up with people requesting tickets.’ So, my mom has been taking care of that, so that’s been helpful so I can focus on playing football.”

While Cooper Flanagan and James Flanigan may be positioned to receive the first opportunities, Notre Dame does not appear interested in relying on only two tight ends.

Larsen and Washington remain part of the rotation, while freshman Ian Premer could also work his way into the mix as the season progresses. The exact roles may not become clear until game week, but Denbrock’s message is that Notre Dame believes it has enough depth to spread the workload.