Notre Dame Offensive Lineman Aamil Wagner Is Ready For A Year Two Jump
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Notre Dame Offensive Lineman Aamil Wagner Is Ready For A Year Two Jump originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Last season, Notre Dame's offensive line went through several changes replacing injured players and making tune-ups to the starting lineup. The one constant, however, was right tackle Aamil Wagner. The Ohio native started and finished all 16 games for the Fighting Irish last season. He played a team high 973 snaps over the course of the season and had an impactful but inconsistent first year in the starting lineup.
Wagner only allowed two sacks on the entire season, but also ranked second highest in pressures allowed (31) with 11 of them coming in the post season. Wagner's only sack allowed in the postseason was against the No. 3 overall NFL Draft pick in Abdul Carter. This season, the 6-6, 300-pound blocker is looking to take the next step in his game after having a year of experience under his belt.
"I really think I have the ability to calm down," Wagner explained when asked about his experience. "Even though games are intense with a lot of pressure, we make moments bigger than what they actually are. I know I have the ability to execute my job on any given play. It's just taking that breath and being able to calm down and execute is the biggest thing I learned."
Wagner has had some great mentors at tackle during his time at Notre Dame. In 2023, he had the opportunity to learn under current NFL tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher and consistently applied the lessons learned from them.
"Joe and Blake both had a mentality to learn, finish and get better," Wagner stated. "They're the biggest self critiques, especially Joe. Joe was nit-picky about everything. There's no block that was perfect; Joe could drive a guy ten yards down the field and block him into a safety and he would say 'ah, my hands could have been better'.
“So, it's just the ability to find something to improve on in each and every block. Blake was awesome at having the meanness and the nastiness. You have to take it to guys, punch them in the face and drive them off the ball. Don't just go to win or do your job, you should want to dominate them. There's a lot more lessons than that but the two main lessons were those two things."
Most players are expected to make a jump from their first year as a starter to their second year as a starter. For Wagner, the difference between last fall camp and this fall camp is significant.
"I think it's night and day. Physically, I'm a lot bigger and a lot stronger," Wagner said. "I'm finally over the 300 pound mark consistently. Power wise, I feel a lot better. I feel like when I get into double teams, I have some amazing guards that help me out, but I'm getting into double teams and moving guys a lot better. Also, the mental side of the game, a lot of things have slowed down. I can recognize looks and be able to predict some things that might happen. I'm glad to have that experience and move forward."
The redshirt junior is now heading into his fourth year in the program and is one of the most experienced offensive lineman in Joe Rudolph's room. It's likely he will be one of the few players lining up for the coin toss before kickoff.
"I'll for sure stand up," Wagner explained when asked about being a team captain. "I think it's one of the biggest honors, not just at Notre Dame but in sports in general. Having the opportunity to lead your guys and having the opportunity to take care of business and be there whenever somebody needs you. Regardless, Coach Freeman wants us to lead whether you're a captain, a freshman or a walk-on. We're going to be leaders on this team. I don't think the 'C' on my chest will make a difference; I'll be leading regardless."
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
