After some frustrations early on, Notre Dame football ended up putting together a tremendous transfer portal haul, at least on paper. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish ended up signing eight players, greatly upgrading the defensive line, wide receiver room, and the secondary. It was all due to a great second week of action. 

While optimism should be extremely high, there are still some questions that this Notre Dame team is going to need to answer moving forward. Here are some of the main concerns, and other remaining topics to ponder over the next few months. The answers to those questions could be the difference between this Irish team underachieving or making a championship run next season. 

Was the youth movement at wide receiver the best strategy? 

In years prior, Notre Dame has done their best to bring in proven production into the wide receiver room. That includes the likes of Malachi Fields, Beaux Collins, Kris Mitchell, and Will Pauling in the last two portal cycles. The hope was to mix that proven production with some younger talent to create a strong overall wide receiver room. 

The team had heavy interest in former Michigan State pass catcher Nick Marsh, but he ended up committing to the Indiana Hoosiers before ever making it to South Bend. Once the board reshuffled, the Irish staff ended up opting for a youth movement with Quincy Porter and Mylan Graham, both previously of the Ohio State Buckeyes. While both players were former five-star recruits for reasons, they combined for just 10 receptions for 152 yards last season. 

With Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse returning, there’s a chance that Porter and Graham end up being the perfect complement in the wide receiver room. This strategy, however, is more of the gamble. 

What will the Irish secondary look like in 2026?

Notre Dame surprised some by bringing in multiple defensive backs in the portal, both of whom have exclusively played on the outside at their previous schools. Former Colorado star DJ McKinney is expected to come in and play a lot, while Jayden Sanders (Michigan) should, at worst, provide quality depth. Just where will McKinney play in 2026, however? 

There is some speculation that Christian Gray could move into the slot as a nickel, and I do expect some cross training to happen, at the very least. McKinney doesn’t have a profile that appears adequate for the slot, so that feels like the preferred option. Perhaps the team ends up settling on a rotation between McKinney and Gray, allowing sophomore Dallas Golden to start in the slot, but only time will tell. 

On paper, this should be an elite secondary with All-American cornerback Leonard Moore, as well as safeties Adon Shuler, and Tae Johnson, among others returning. It will be intriguing to see how the new additions shake things up, and how quickly it becomes a cohesive group. 

Should Notre Dame have prioritized a running back and tight end? 

After some split early feedback, Notre Dame decided to not pursue a portal running back or tight end. With Aneyas Williams returning, as well as Kedren Young coming back healthy, and freshmen Javian Osborne and Jonaz Walton enrolling, it’s understandable why the staff chose not to make a strong push for a running back. You are still, however, depending on a lot of unproven commodities. 

I have much more concern about the tight end position right now. Cooper Flanagan was only available for one game last season coming back from an Achilles injury. You also won’t be getting five-star tight end Ian Premer on campus until the Summer, so there is some question about just how early he is going to be able to contribute. With Eli Raridon off to the NFL, Notre Dame is bringing back just eight receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown in that tight end room. 

The Irish had some interest in bringing in former Tulsa standout Brody Foley for a visit, but the staff decided to cancel it. On paper, adding proven production like Foley would have been a comforting move. They are now counting solely on upside and development, which will either end up working out well, or leave something to be desired. 

What will the defensive line rotation look like? 

While there were some missteps early on in the portal process, Notre Dame ended up recovering well down the stretch. Signing Francis Brewu (Pitt) was a huge deal, as was closing so quickly on Tionne Gray (Oregon). While he isn’t the biggest interior player at 6-2 and 280 pounds, Brewu is incredibly strong and quick on the inside. Gray brings the raw size (6-6, 336 pounds) and upside to create a really intriguing duo. 

With the Irish also retaining Armel Mukam, hoping for a return from Jason Onye, and expecting for a Christopher Burgess in 2026, this defensive tackle rotation is looking a ton better than once expected. While it isn’t necessarily a negative, the Irish staff will now be pressed to figure out the correct rotation inside. Just what it looks like, and how good it’ll end up being, is something worth keeping a close eye on. 

Notre Dame Fighting Irish News

Notre Dame separating themselves for a five-star athlete who has game breaking potential on either side of the football 

Head coach Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame football are making a strong push for another elite recruiting target.

Ryan Roberts