There is a Transfer Portal wildcard that could be a really intriguing fit with the Notre Dame defense at a very important spot
Notre Dame football has one of the deepest rosters that they have had in a very, very long time. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish staff have done a tremendous job of adding talent both via the high school recruiting route and in the Transfer Portal. That is especially true on the defensive […]
Notre Dame football has one of the deepest rosters that they have had in a very, very long time. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish staff have done a tremendous job of adding talent both via the high school recruiting route and in the Transfer Portal. That is especially true on the defensive side of the football, which should once again be an elite group heading into the 2026 college football season.
In the secondary, Notre Dame has as good a group as anyone does in the country. That includes All-American cornerback Leonard Moore, safeties Adon Shuler and Tae Johnson, Christian Gray, and Dallas Golden, among several others. The linebackers are also tremendous, bringing back the likes of Drayk Bowen, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, and Jaiden Ausberry. Those two levels of the unit are loaded.
One spot that still needs to get better is inside at defensive tackle. With Gabriel Rubio, Jared Dawson, and Jason Onye all exhausting their eligibility, there are some huge question marks at the position. Notre Dame is going to need to attack the portal for at least one defensive tackle, but possibly two potential rotational players. It is the biggest need on the roster.
It has only been a few days, but several talented defensive linemen have already announced their intentions to enter the portal. That includes USC defensive tackle Devan Thompkins, who is an extremely interesting defender with outstanding versatility. With how much this team has valued players that they have played against, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Irish staff at least doing their homework on him.
Devan Thompkins’ career background
Thompkins holds a year of eligibility remaining heading into 2026, and he is coming off his best season on the college level. After playing a lot on the edge earlier in his career, the California native has slowly morphed into an interior defensive lineman who brings some outstanding versatility. In the Notre Dame defense, his skill set would fit best as a three technique, and he can also play some big end in some odd fronts.
In 12 games as a redshirt junior, Thompkins managed to collect 31 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks. The 6-5, 290-pound defender also recorded two pass breakups and forced a fumble. He began his career at 220 pounds and now stands as a really talented interior presence who can make some big plays behind the line of scrimmage.
If Notre Dame wants to help their defense take that next step, they need to find those answers on the interior. With a talented defensive tackle board already forming, Thompkins wouldn’t necessarily be my first option, but he should at least garner some interest. The Irish staff should certainly be familiar with Thompkins after scouting him for their matchup against the Trojans.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish News
Way too early Notre Dame defensive depth chart projections: An elite secondary returns, and some defensive line questions
Early predictions for the Notre Dame defensive depth chart heading into the 2026 college football season.
