Four elite additions bolster Notre Dame's roster, with ESPN ranking them among the nation's top transfer talent. Discover who's making an immediate impact.
Now that the transfer portal window has come to a close, it's time to look at some of the top portal targets across the country and where they landed. ESPN released a Top 100 ranking of the best players in the transfer portal and where they landed. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish had four portal additions named on this list and one departure named on ESPN's Top 100 ranking.
No. 39 - DT Tionne Gray, Oregon
"Gray is a space eater with deceptive quickness to also penetrate. While his leverage and technique are still a bit raw, particularly as a pass rusher, he has a lot of physical traits to mold. Gray should develop into an interior presence that forces double-teams and controls the middle of the line of scrimmage. The natural strength and power are really impressive, as is his first-step quickness off the ball for his size. The Irish are bringing in two of the top defensive tackles in the portal in Gray and Pitt's Francis Brewu to bolster their defensive front. Gray is a great late get in this portal cycle who certainly has the upside to develop into an early-round draft pick." - Max Olson, ESPN
Gray was a massive pick up for the Irish, literally and figuratively. The 6-6, 336-pound defensive tackle adds an element to this defensive line room that some believed this unit lacked the last couple of seasons. Notre Dame ended last season with a Top 12 rush defense in the country. Adding Gray from Oregon adds size, depth and talent to the rotation.
No. 62 - WR Quincy Porter, Ohio State
"Porter might've been a major contributor for any other team in the country aside from Ohio State with its first-round receiving room. He's a tall, physical athlete who plays faster than his testing times (11.1 100-meter) out of high school. Porter gains speed and gathers momentum as a vertical route runner. As a pass catcher, he attacks the ball and is a big target over the middle. Porter wins contested balls with his leverage strength and long arms (80-inch wingspan). He can extend plays using his strong, explosive frame to break tackles. Porter and fellow Ohio State transfer Mylan Graham, a top-50 recruit in the 2024 class, join a Fighting Irish receiving corps that returns top receiver Jordan Faison plus Jaden Greathouse, who missed most of the 2025 season due to injury. If Porter can recover from his injury and stay healthy, he should make an immediate impact this fall." - Max Olson, ESPN
After the departure of Malachi Fields, who is currently showing out at the Senior Bowl, the Irish were in need of another boundary receiver. There were candidates on the roster, but none that fit the frame of what was lost in Fields. Porter is a 6-4, 210-pound boundary receiver that will have the opportunity to come in and make an immediate impact. Due to the overall talent on the room, it's unclear if the Ohio State transfer is an immediate starter, but he will be a major contributor to this offense in 2026.
No. 68 - DT Francis Brewu, Pitt
"Despite not having eye-popping size, Brewu is a strong, stout interior presence. He plays with good pad level and that combined with impressive strength, backed by strong weight room numbers, allows him to hold ground and battle double teams. Brewu uses his hands well to press blockers and shed. His strength is as a run defender, but he can disrupt as interior pass rusher, flashing an effective rip move with ability to power his way up-field and press the pocket. He's still young and has a good deal of game experience and good production. The Irish had a clear need at defensive tackle and landed a player who has a 685-pound squat max, a 475-pound bench press and a 33-inch vertical jump, according to The Athletic. He's reuniting with new Notre Dame defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, who recruited Brewu to Pitt out of high school." - Max Olson, ESPN
After losing Gabriel Rubio, Jared Dawson and Donovan Hinish from this past season, Notre Dame was in need of finding another impact defensive tackle that fit the mold of what they did along the interior. Brewu brings some of the best elements of Hinish, Dawson and Howard Cross III from a few seasons ago to the roster this season. He was listed on Feldman's Freak's List ahead of the 2025 season. Partridge has an exceptionally strong and experienced player to work with in 2026.
No. 79 - DE Keon Keeley, Alabama
"Much like when he was a five-star prospect in the 2023 class, Keeley's physical measurables will be tough to ignore. Heading into his redshirt junior year, he still has some time to maximize his potential. He has a big frame and flashes an explosive burst and strength as a pass rusher when he can exploit his speed-to-power capabilities. He has strength to defend the run but can still better utilize his reach and hands and work to get off blocks quicker. Here's a familiar name for Fighting Irish fans. Keeley is finally making the move to South Bend after previously decommitting from the Notre Dame in August 2022. Marcus Freeman and his staff must be pleased this worked out and they're getting two good years with a former five-star who's determined to fight for a major role in their defense." - Max Olson, ESPN
Bringing Keeley home was one of the bigger wins of the transfer portal window for Notre Dame. The Florida native was originally committed to the Irish out of high school, but flipped his commitment to Alabama later in the process. His return to South Bend adds top-level talent and size to a defensive end rotation that already features returning starters Boubacar Traore and Bryce Young. Keeley is expected to grow more as a player under Partridge's tutelage and will be a key piece in the rotation this fall.
Former Notre Dame quarterback Kenny Minchey (No. 54) was the only Irish departure to be named. He was one of the first players to hit the portal from South Bend this cycle and was also named on ESPN's Top 100 players. Minchey committed to Kentucky to play for new head coach Will Stein. The Tennessee native is one of several players for the Wildcats named on this list.
Three of Notre Dame's opponents in 2026 had players listed on ESPN's Top 100 portal players with Miami carrying the bulk of the load. The Hurricanes had four players listed including quarterback Darien Mensah (No. 5), edge rusher Damon Wilson (No. 9), wide receiver Cooper Barkate (No. 47) and wide receiver Vandrevious Jacobs (No. 96). The Irish and the Hurricanes square off this season in South Bend on November 7, a matchup that is already highly anticipated by the Irish faithful.
Old Dominion quarterback transfer Colton Joseph was the 100th player named on ESPN's rankings. Joseph is headed to Wisconsin after posting a very productive redshirt freshman season with ODU in 2025. The Irish open the season at Lambeau Field against the Badgers. BYU also had a top portal target named on ESPN's list; linebacker Cade Uluave (No. 72) transferred in from California after posting a 100-tackle season for the Golden Bears.
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