The 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive lineman reportedly progressed behind the scenes last fall, earning scout team defensive player of the week multiple times within the first month of the season. Devan Houstan is today’s subject in Irish Illustrated’s Counting Down the Irish series.
Drew Mentock
Devan Houstan missed last spring after undergoing shoulder surgery and only played in one game in the fall, earning six snaps in a 45-7 rout of Wake Forest inside Notre Dame Stadium.
The 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive lineman reportedly progressed behind the scenes, earning scout team defensive player of the week multiple times within the first month of the season.
"The second guy was Devan Houstan," coach Marcus Freeman said last September. "He was the scout Defensive Player of the Week. And this is the second time he's won. And so that's encouraging to hear. We encourage, 'Hey, spread it out.' You don't always give it to the same guy.
"But if he earned it, that's twice Devan Houstan has won the Scout Defensive Player of the Week. So that's encouraging."
Now, the former four-star defensive tackle prospect from Canada enters his sophom*ore campaign after a year of development under defensive line coach Al Washington.
Houstan is today's subject in our Counting Down the Irish series.
- Irish Illustrated Ranking: 59
- O'Malley Ranking: 64
- Prister Ranking: 73
- Mentock Ranking: 53
- Brice Ranking: 47
- Sinclair Ranking: 63
O'Malley Says: "Went under-the-radar this spring—perhaps because the media didn't ask about him—but I liked what I saw from Houston inside during the Blue-Gold game. If Gabriel Rubio returns to the program, Houston doesn't need to play a major role this season and could thus just help the three-deep over the increasingly long season. His forthcoming calendar year of development is crucial to Notre Dame's 2025 interior."
Prister Says: "Devan Houstan: After a dormant freshman season, Houstan showed a spark in the Blue-Gold Game with a tackle and a quarterback hurry in the same series. The Irish are going to need much more following the 2024 season when the transition on the interior will be significant with the loss of Cross and Mills."
Brice Says: "Devan Houstan isn't likely to be a major factor along the Irish interior this fall, but his ability to build on a notable spring is important. Houstan passed some of his peers on the depth chart and appeared to be taking the needed next steps toward first becoming a regular contributor and eventually a starter."
Sinclair Says: "One of two rising sophom*ores with all four seasons of eligibility remaining, Devan Houstan has an opportunity to break into the rotation as a No. 3 nose tackle this year. Howard Cross and Rylie Mills lead the way, Jason Onye and Gabriel Rubio are poised for No. 2 duties. And that leaves a handful of underclassmen battling for third-string roles. It'll come down to how Houstan performs in fall camp and into the season."
What To Expect In 2024
Devan Houstan received a ton of extra reps this spring because nose guard Gabriel Rubio stepped away from the team for the semester, and classmate Armel Mukam underwent surgery on a torn labrum. Additionally, All-American Howard Cross III took at least a few veteran rest days this spring.
How much playing time will that translate to? That's unclear. On the depth chart, Houstan remains behind Cross and Rubio, who's slated to return this summer.
He's likely behind the undersized-yet-productive Donovan Hinish, who seems poised to play nose guard despite his 6-foot-1, 279-pound frame.
Houstan is also competing with early enrollee freshman Sean Sevillano Jr., a fellow Canadian with a surprisingly quick first step at 333 pounds.
Considering second- and third-stringers Rubio and Hinish only garnered 136 and 100 snaps last fall, it's unlikely that Houstan will see the field much unless he can fight his way up the depth chart in fall camp.
Future Prospects
Once Cross and Mills finally leave after the 2024 season, a significant number of reps will become available. It's unclear what seniors Onye and Rubio will do: return for a fifth year or look elsewhere for playing time?
Either way, Houstan should have opportunities to contribute next fall, and the coaching staff could desperately need him to emerge as a playmaker after boasting arguably the best defensive tackle duo in the country in 2024.
Expect Houstan to be a five-year college player and steadily improve throughout his Fighting Irish career.
Stat Of The Day
In recent years, Notre Dame's interior defensive line depth has improved by leaps and bounds. It's at the point where most defensive tackles are struggling to earn meaningful reps until their third year in the program.
Still, most of them weigh 290 pounds or less.
Houstan likely has the frame to add 10 to 15 pounds in another year or two. If that happens, he could give the program the size up the middle the defensive staff desperately craves.
Fighting Irish defensive tackles based on listed weight this spring:
- Sean Sevillano Jr. - 333 pounds
- Gabriel Rubio - 306 pounds*
- Rylie Mills - 297 pounds
- Tyson Ford - 290 pounds
- Armel Mukam - 290 pounds
- Jason Onye - 287 pounds
- Devan Houstan - 285 pounds
- Howard Cross III - 284 pounds
- Donovan Hinish - 279 pounds
- Brenan Vernon - 272 pounds
- Cole Mullins - 244 pounds
*Denotes a listed weight taken from the 2023 roster.
Quote To Note
"Mainly just for the experience. Just the people here. There's no place like Notre Dame. I know it's a cliche, everybody says that kind of thing, but there definitely is no place like Notre Dame. The connections that I've made throughout the recruiting process were the closest with Notre Dame. With the players, the recruits, everyone. It's just been love from the beginning and it's still love now. I think that's a testament to me making the right decision to be here. It's just been great overall." — Houstan last February on why he picked Notre Dame over Michigan and other programs.
