When Marcus Freeman took over as head coach of Notre Dame, there were a few positions that were the priority for the Irish to add impact talent. Wide receiver was one of the first positions that came to mind. Quite simply, wide receiver recruiting and development were not up to the program’s standard.

There have been some bumps in that initiative the last couple of seasons. For as good as the wide receivers classes were in 2023 and 2024, there have been some headaches in the 2025 recruiting class. While the recruiting does need to be more consistent, adding the likes of Jaden Greathouse, Cam Williams, and Micah Gilbert to the roster is a massive step.

The next major question is development, which was compromised during the Chansi Stuckey era. Not only were players not reaching their potential, the ugly ending also caused several transfers that hurt the depth. Mike Brown is now pressed into getting this group back on track.

With the additions from the transfer portal, along with some talented players who remained, wide receiver has a chance to be a lot better in 2024. There is reason to be optimistic for what the season can bring out wide.

Making sense of the rotation

In the Notre Dame system, the Irish have three wide receiver positions. They each function differently, and all have competition to keep a close eye on. The biggest battle is the boundary position, with several names to know, some familiar and one new.

The player that most Irish fans will be talking about is Clemson transfer Beaux Collins. At over 6-2 and 210 pounds, Collins is an experienced and physical presence in the boundary. There is a lot of optimism for Collins to step in and become a legitimate contributor. He will be opposed by Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie, both of which Irish fans know well. Injuries have derailed their impact the last couple of seasons. Freshman Micah Gilbert is also a name to keep a close eye on, impressing this spring with his combination of nuance and physicality.

At the Z position, it appears that FIU transfer Kris Mitchell is in position to lock down a starting role. Blessed with big time speed, Mitchell had the most productive season of any Irish receiver in 2023, hauling in 64 receptions for 1,118 yards, and six touchdowns for the Golden Panthers. Both young wide receivers KK Smith and Cam Williams will be fighting for reps this fall.

In the slot, Jaden Greathouse is the main name to know. He was having a strong freshman campaign before his season was derailed by a hamstring injury. This offseason, Greathouse has been stellar. He will be joined inside by fellow sophomore Jordan Faison, who is also a dynamic lacrosse player for the Irish. Throw in All-American kick returner Jayden Harrison and the slot should be very strong this season.

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Young pass catchers to know

There’s a reality where Collins, Mitchell, and Greathouse take the majority of the reps in 2024 with a couple other pass catcher sprinkled in. The great part of this wide receiver room is that there is so much depth that several younger talents could very well fight for reps.

A couple pass catchers who are young, and aren’t projected to be starters in 2024, but fans should keep a close eye on are Cam Williams, KK Smith and Micah Gilbert. There’s a chance that none of them play a significant role this season, but each has the talent to change that quickly.

Williams is a player that most Notre Dame fans know well. A five-star talent out of Chicago, he has some big time speed and vertical ability. Even if he doesn’t play a big role in 2024, it won’t take long for Williams to become a star for the Irish.

Smith is an underrated pass catcher, mostly because of a shoulder injury that cost him the majority of his freshman season. The Texas standout is fully healthy and impressing the Notre Dame coaches. He seems ready to fight for reps heading into the fall.

As mentioned before, Gilbert is fighting for reps in the boundary. For a freshman, he is really physically advanced. Despite not being the most dynamic athlete, Gilbert is strong and plenty explosive to make plays all over the field.