With five selections to the 2026 Pro Bowl, Notre Dame continues to prove it’s a premier factory for NFL talent, but one player’s rapid ascent is stealing the spotlight.

The NFL officially announced the AFC and NFC rosters for the upcoming Pro Bowl on Tuesday, December 23, with five former Fighting Irish players securing early seats on the teams.

Per the NFL’s 2026 NFL Pro Bowl roster, Notre Dame alumni, Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, Pittsburgh Steelers special teamer Ben Skowronek, Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson, Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt, and Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey were announced as part of the roster.

Among those five, four of Notre Dame alums are announced as the starters, except for Joe Alt. On the other hand, only Brandon Aubrey represents the NFC, while the rest play for the AFC.

It’s the first Pro Bowl appearance of Joe Alt in his just second pro season. He is one of the three players from the Chargers to make it to the AFC roster. Alt will be joined by ex-Irish Ben Skowronek, who’s also playing his first Pro Bowl in his fifth season in the NFL for the Steelers. He was originally a wide receiver, but made his place in the special teams.

In addition to Alt and Skowronek, Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, who’ll be playing his third Pro Bowl in four seasons, and Colts OL Quenton Nelson, who’ll be playing his eighth Pro Bowl, will join the AFC roster. On the other side, Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey will be making his third Pro Bowl appearance.

While Alt and Skowronek are making their first Pro Bowl appearance, representing Notre Dame looks like a feel-good story. Kyle Hamilton’s rise in a short period of time turns out to be the biggest headliner in the NFL.

Kyle Hamilton’s drastic success in the NFL

Kyle Hamilton, the Ravens safety, will be representing the AFC in the NFL Pro Bowl for the third straight time. He is the NFL’s only safety who recorded 92 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, eight pass defenses, and seven tackles for loss.

Hamilton is among the only three elite defenders overall to reach the record of posting at least 90 tackles. He also earned multiple honors, including the first-team All-Pro in 2023, second-team All-Pro in 2024, and PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2022.

In these four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, he played 62 games, totaling 342 tackles (237 solo), eight sacks, six forced fumbles, 35 pass defended, and five interceptions. He also returned the ball for a touchdown.

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Hamilton’s success didn’t come all of a sudden. He’s been the star safety since his time at Notre Dame. Hamilton played for the Irish from 2019 to 2021 and was named an All-American in all three years. In the 31 games he played for the Irish, he totaled 97 solo tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss. He posted 8 interceptions and returned the ball for a touchdown once. Hamilton also defended 16 passes, pressuring the quarterback.

The incredible success he had at the collegiate level turned the attention of the NFL scouts. This made him the first-round pick and the 14th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft for the Baltimore Ravens. It’s a truly inspiring journey.