Notre Dame football has a potential Transfer Portal target that the Fighting Irish defense should prioritize once it opens
There is a new Notre Dame Transfer Portal target for Irish fans to know.
The Notre Dame defense has transformed into an elite group since head coach Marcus Freeman took over the program. From a pure talent perspective, the Fighting Irish secondary and linebacker room are as deep as they have been in a very long time. There is more speed on the back two levels than we have ever seen in South Bend, arguably.
In order for this defense to take yet another jump, the defensive line still has some improvements it can make. We have already seen them take a step at defensive end in recent years with the likes of Boubacar Traore and Bryce Young. Now it’s time for the defensive tackle position to catch up.
The Irish staff is saying goodbye to Gabriel Rubio, Jason Onye, and Jared Dawson this offseason, which is a heavy bulk of the interior rotation this season. While both Donovan Hinish and Elijah Hughes return in 2026, Notre Dame is going to need to add a couple of talented defensive tackles this offseason. Not only will the volume of depth need to be improved, but so will the impact at the position.
Bring Mateen Ibirogba to South Bend
The Transfer Portal doesn’t officially open until January 2, but talented players are already announcing their intentions to enter the portal. That includes former Wake Forest defensive tackle Mateen Ibirogba, who announced his intentions over the weekend. With one year of eligibility remaining, Ibirogba is one of the more interesting potential targets for the Irish to try to add.
Originally a member of the 2022 recruiting class, the Clarksburg (Md.) High School standout actually signed with the Georgetown Hoyas, which was his only offer coming out. He would play two seasons with the team, collecting 47 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. Ibirogba was only around 250 pounds during that time.
After getting acclimated to the ACC level of play in 2024, Ibirogba has now morphed into the 296-pound interior presence that you see today. During the 2025 season, his first as a starter, Ibirogba managed to record 21 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. He also recorded one forced fumble, 26 quarterback pressures, and had one blocked kick.
While those numbers don’t necessarily pop off the screen, Ibirogba did on film this season, particularly as a pass rusher. Notre Dame needs to find some more impact size from the interior, no matter what it takes. The former Wake Forest standout would be a very solid addition for defensive line coach Al Washington. If they were able to pair him with a bigger run defender, that rotation would start to look a whole lot better.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish News
Early Transfer Portal expectations for Notre Dame football – who could leave, and what holes need to be filled most this offseason
An early Transfer Portal primer for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish heading toward a new year.
