New Notre Dame star heads into 2025 CFB season with some lofty expectations according to a list that everyone wants to be on
New Notre Dame star heads into 2025 with some lofty expectations
When’s the last time Notre Dame fans were this excited about a group of wide receivers heading into a college football season? The emergence of Jaden Greathouse down the stretch of 2024 makes him an attractive breakout option, as well as Jordan Faison finally staying healthy. It’s a pretty deep wide receiver room on paper.
Greathouse could very well be that breakout star some expect for 2025, and become a national commodity this upcoming season. There is, however, a lot of hype that is also surrounding former Virginia transfer Malachi Fields to potentially be the team’s top wide receiver. The 6-4, 222-pound pass catcher has been turning heads as a member of the Fighting Irish program since enrolling this summer.
It’s safe to say that folks are also excited to see Fields in the blue and gold, both close to the Notre Dame program, and on the national level. On3 recently put out their 2025 Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team this week, and Fields was one of the three wide receivers listed. He was joined by Eric Singleton Jr. (Auburn) and Barion Brown (LSU).
Fields is coming off two straight standout seasons for the Virginia Cavaliers, having hauled in at least 55 receptions, 808 yards, and five touchdowns in both years. During the entirety of his Virginia career, Field managed to collect 129 receptions for 1,849 yards and 11 touchdowns. He did so in 36 total games played.
The one thing that has held Fields back a bit in his career has been injuries. He missed the majority of the 2022 season with a foot injury that required surgery, as well as another leg injury down the stretch this past season that limited him until the summer. If not for those medical questions, Fields probably would have declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.
With outstanding size, a huge catch radius, and underrated fluidity as a route runner, there are some big fans around the NFL currently. Fields carries a lot of mid round draft grades right now (Rounds 4-5), and has an opportunity to rise with a huge final season in South Bend. Lack of long speed probably limits Fields from being a top of the board option, but rising to be a borderline top-100 selection isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
From a Notre Dame fit perspective, the Irish have needed to find better boundary receiver options in recent years. That’s been the ingredient missing from this wide receiver room, and Fields fills that in a big way. Along with Greathouse, Faison, former Wisconsin transfer Will Pauling, and some younger pass catchers, this Notre Dame wide receiver room has to be one of the best in recent memory.
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