Notre Dame Reloads Roster After CFP Snub and Turmoil

To say it’s been a tough six weeks for the Notre Dame football program would be an understatement. The program missed the College Football Playoff, withdrew from its bowl game, had no incoming transfers, and Marcus Freeman was accused of battery. Since then, things have turned dramatically for the better, the bowl game notwithstanding.

The accusations against Freeman have now been dropped. After a statement from the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s office and a video of the alleged battery was released, Freeman has been fully exonerated. Moreover, he was also criticized for having taken zero transfers for an extended period following the transfer portal opening. Since then, that has changed too. 

Wide Receivers

This is a position Notre Dame hasn’t been great at historically. They rely on a strong run game and good defense. Nevertheless, they are looking to change that. The Irish landed a pair of former five-star receivers from Ohio State in Quincy Porter and Mylan Graham. Both were outstanding prospects that saw limited action in a loaded wide receiver room for the Buckeyes. Presumably, they transferred due to the departure of star offensive coordinator Brian Hartline as he took the USF head coaching job. Porter projects as an outside receiver majoring in contested catches given his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame. Graham is more of a slot receiver who will look to get the ball in the short game and screens, giving him the opportunity to make defenders miss in space. Both will likely be instant starters for a Notre Dame team that needed the help at receiver. 

Keon Keeley

The Irish also secured a commitment from junior edge rusherKeeley from Alabama. Keeley, a former Notre Dame commit, was the No. 3-ranked player overall in the class of 2023. Since then, he hasn’t played much at Alabama, redshirting in 2023 and appearing in just 10 games in two seasons since then. However, his physical tools are as good as any edge rusher in the country. At 6-foot-5, 282 pounds, he will be a force on this Irish defensive line. Even with that size, his speed is evident when you watch him play. If he is developed properly, he can be an immediate impact player on the defensive line for Notre Dame. 

Other Transfers

While the aforementioned players are the highlights of the Irish transfer class, they are not the only transfers headed to South Bend, Ind. They have commitments from a pair of four-star corners. Jayden Sanders of Michigan and DJ McKinney of Colorado will be donning the Blue and Gold next year too. Given that the Irish return corners Christian Gray and unanimous All-American Leonard Moore, they will have as much secondary depth as any team in the country. Lastly, defensive linemen Tionne Gray of Oregon and Francis Brewu of Pitt have also transferred to Notre Dame. Gray appeared in 10 games for the Ducks and is a massive 6-foot-6 and 336 pounds. Brewu played less for Pitt, but was ranked as a four-star in the portal nonetheless. These two players are also likely to start immediately for the Irish next fall. 

More Sports News

.wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla),
.wp-block-group:where(.alignfull) > .wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla) {
width: calc(100vw – (var(–side-spacing) * 2)) !important;
}
.embla {
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
}
.embla__container {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: nowrap;
gap: 0 !important;
width: 75%;
}
.embla__slide {
margin-inline-end: var(–column-gap);
}
.embla__arrow,
.embla__arrow:active,
.embla__arrow:target,
.embla__arrow:hover,
.embla__arrow:focus-visible {
display: none;
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
transform: translateY(-50%);
width: 40px;
height: 40px;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
line-height: 0;
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);
color: var(–color-primary);
border-radius: 100vw;

svg {
width: 24px;
}
}
.embla__prev {
left: 0;
}
.embla__next {
right: 0;
}
]]>