A trio of Notre Dame players, including linebackers Kahoun and Sacca, plus receiver Richardson, enter the transfer portal, impacting defensive depth.
It was another chaotic day in the transfer portal. Today, a trio of Notre Dame players announced their intentions of entering the transfer portal. Redshirt freshman linebacker Bodie Kahoun, freshman linebacker Anthony Sacca and freshman wide receiver Scrap Richardson all entered the portal this afternoon. All three players will have several years of eligibility remaining heading into the 2026 season. The amount of losses of the defensive side of the ball is starting to make the depth conversation on that side of the ball significantly more interesting.
Transfers Out
Kahoun was a member of the 2024 recruiting class and came in with players like Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa. He played in three games for the Irish during his freshman season in the regular season but ultimately ended up redshirting in the process. In 2025, Kahoun's redshirt freshman season, he appeared in nine games, mostly on special teams and recorded an assisted tackle. Former Notre Dame linebackers coach Max Bullough noted on multiple occasions that one of the most athletic linebackers in the room was the Virginia native.
Fellow linebacker, Sacca, who also entered the portal was a member of the 2025 recruiting class. He's one of the few members of the 2025 recruiting class that has elected to try their odds in the portal. Sacca was one of the true freshman on defense that didn't see any snaps this season. He was rated a four-star linebacker by ESPN and Rivals and a three-star rated linebacker by 247Sports and On3. He also had the potential to play on the edge of the defensive line after getting up to 240-pounds as a true freshman.
Richardson is only the second Notre Dame wide receiver to enter the transfer portal; redshirt sophomore KK Smith entered earlier this week. The 6-0, 190-pound Georgia native didn't play this season for the Irish and was heading into his redshirt freshman season in 2026. Richardson was always a project since he played quarterback in high school, but the athletic ability where there from the start. Richardson benefitted from being an early enrollee and shined in moments during the 2025 Blue Gold game catching a touchdown.
The depth in the receiver room is still completely fine. Odds are, they'll look to bring in at least one player from the portal and they still have 12 scholarship receivers on the roster including the incoming freshman class. The linebacker position, however, is starting to look a little more thin than what it did a few weeks ago. Their rotation of four to five guys, especially when Viliamu-Asa returns, is still intact, but the depth behind that may impact special teams units.
Unfortunately, these three high-ceiling players are more casualties in this new age of college football. Based on the new cap limits set forth by the house settlement, players and coaches alike will have to continue making business decisions like these until something gets fixed in the future with the portal. I hope these three have solid collegiate careers at their next destination.
It was also announced today that fellow 2025 recruiting class mate, cornerback Cree Thomas has committed to play for Colorado for the 2026 season. Thomas was just buried in, arguably, the most talented room on the roster but will have the opportunity to continue developing his game under the tutelage of head coach Deion Sanders.
Who's Visiting
Fortunately, it's not all doom and gloom for the Irish in the portal. The Irish have hosted some potential impact players along the defensive line the last few days. Penn State defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam has spent the last two days in South Bend. The 6-2, 302-pound defensive tackle played well for the Nittany Lions in some of their bigger games of the season. He will have multiple years of eligibility left. Gilliam is a former three-star recruit with three of the four major services grading him out as a three-star; ESPN ranked the Maryland native as a four-star recruit.
Alabama defensive lineman Keon Keely, a former Notre Dame commit, was back on campus today taking his visit to potential play his 2026 season in South Bend. Keely is a former consensus five-star recruit who was graded as the No. 1 edge player in the country by every major outlet. He was also ranked as the No. 1 recruit coming out of Florida in the 2023 recruiting class. His career didn't pan out at Alabama, but many believed he was best suited to start his career off at Notre Dame. Hopefully, the Irish will be able to rekindle that relationship with the former five-star commit.
Pittsburgh defensive lineman Francis Brewu is also expected to visit Notre Dame this week. The 6-2 2, 280-pound sophomore was a part of the Panther's defensive line rotation this season and had some highlight plays in their matchup against Miami. His lone sack of the season came against West Virginia on the road in a rivalry game. The Irish have other visits planned, but it's uncertain as of right now who some of those targets will be.
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