The transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2 and will stay open until Jan. 16th for a two-week window for players to enter. While the real craziness is still on the horizon, programs across college football are already preparing to capitalize on the opportunity to bring in new talent.

Players have started announcing their intentions of entering, teams are creating boards, and are also back-channeling for potential interest with their agents. 

When it comes to Notre Dame football, I expect the Fighting Irish to be aggressive during this portal period, perhaps the most we have seen in the transfer portal era. Head coach Marcus Freeman understands the key holes to fill on this roster, and there will be talented players out there to fill them. There is significant value to be had. 

Since Notre Dame’s season ended, I have been doing my due diligence to get insight into the team’s potential portal plans. That includes talking to folks close to the program, as well as some on the agent side of the industry. I didn’t cover every piece of positional need (sorry to all the kicker and backup quarterback enthusiasts), but here is an updated look at where I believe the Irish staff will prioritize via the portal. 

Notre Dame players returning 

Running back Aneyas Williams has been a hot topic of conversation in recent weeks. It’s no secret that there was some frustration about Williams’ role in the offense this season, and it would take a solid pitch to get the talented runner to buy into the vision for him in 2026.

Well, things have been smoothed over, and the rising junior has re-signed (never thought I would write that) to return next season. With other talented running backs like Nolan James Jr., Kedren Young, Javian Osborne, and Jonaz Walton also in that room, I expect Williams to be the lead back to start the season, with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price off to the NFL.

The other big news of the day is that wide receiver Jaden Greathouse will also be back in 2026 for the Irish. Going into the 2025 season, many expected Greathouse to be the top pass catcher on the team, but things did not go his way due to injury and lack of targets. The 6-2, 210-pound pass catcher now gets a second chance to have a massive season with quarterback CJ Carr. You should expect Greathouse and Jordan Faison to be two of the wide receiver starters heading into next season.

Defensive tackle aggressiveness 

There is no bigger need on the Notre Dame roster than at defensive tackle. With Gabriel Rubio, Jared Dawson, and Jason Onye (pending his application for another year) all out of eligibility, that leaves a big void in the rotation inside. The Irish need to get at least one legitimate option at defensive tackle in the portal, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they push for two. 

The biggest early name to watch right now is Mateen Ibirogba (Wake Forest). The 6-4, 296-pound defensive tackle has had a unique path to this point after beginning his career as a Georgetown defensive end. I expect Notre Dame to give Ibirogba a deep look, and based on a conversation I had with someone close to the former Demon Deacon, I think the Irish would have a strong chance. 

If Notre Dame lands Ibirogba, I still believe it should explore one more defensive tackle. While he is a talented interior penetrator, Ibirogba is not the best player at the point of attack. Considering that Donovan Hinish is similar in that regard, that room would lack some diversity. The team would be best served to push for a bigger run-stopper as well, and there will be options that make sense.

Boundary wide receiver is a major priority 

Based on everything I’ve gathered, I anticipate Notre Dame making a strong push for at least one wide receiver in the portal, and finding an impact player will be the priority. Former Michigan State standout Nick Marsh is possibly the biggest name on the market, and yes, I also anticipate the Irish staff making a hard charge at him when the time comes. The 6-3, 215-pound pass catcher is exactly the missing element in the offense that Malachi Fields is leaving empty. 

Marsh isn’t the only wide receiver I expect the Irish to keep an eye on and potentially make a push for. That includes a talented Big Ten wideout who has not yet officially entered the portal but intends to. That particular player will be discussed in depth when his announcement is made. Regardless, I like Notre Dame’s early chances of landing a potential difference-maker based on the group that will be on the market. 

The market will be massive for Marsh, and it won’t be easy to execute. That won’t deter Notre Dame, however. 

Outside of adding that big boundary wide receiver, I’m not sure that Notre Dame needs to go for volume this time around. With the Greathouse news, I expect the staff to push for one wide receiver for sure. While anything is possible, I’d actually be somewhat surprised if they went for a second right now, but that’ll depend on who ends up leaving from the current roster.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish News

Notre Dame football has a chance to put its money where their mouth is to fill the biggest hole on the current Irish roster 

There is a new Transfer Portal entrant that Notre Dame football should have a lot of interest in.

Ryan Roberts