Once Alabama's prized recruit, Keon Keeley returns to Notre Dame. Can he reignite his elite talent and become a game-changer
Notre Dame has made a crucial portal pickup by landing former Alabama defensive end Keon Keeley. This is a familiar name for Irish fans, as Keeley was once considered the crown jewel of Marcus Freeman's first recruiting class at Notre Dame. Keeley eventually signed with Alabama, but he'll now return to Notre Dame with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Keeley didn't play much as a freshman or as a sophomore, but emerged as a key rotation player for the Crimson Tide in 2025. He had arguably his best career game in the playoff win over Oklahoma, racking up four tackles and a sack. Keeley finished the season with three sacks, including a game-clinching sack in a win over South Carolina.
The Tampa, Fla. native racked up 16 tackles, three tackles for loss and he also blocked a punt in the Alabama win over Eastern Illinois.
Keeley was one of the nation's top high school players coming out of Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep. He was a consensus five-star recruit and was ranked the No. 2 overall player by On3 sports. The decision to flip to Alabama made sense from the standpoint he would get to play for Nick Saban, but Keeley's skillset didn't translate well to the Crimson Tide defense. Even with the new defensive staff he was a bit of a tweener and his skills never translated to being the impact player
At Notre Dame, Keeley will fit more into the four-down front the Irish employ. Notre Dame needs its ends to be dual-threat weapons that can be stout against the run but also capable of being a disruptive pass rusher. Although Keeley hasn't shown he can be that player at Alabama, you can still see the flashes. It would be wise for Notre Dame to shed some of the weight he gained at Alabama, get him down to around 265 pounds and help him get the burst back that made him such an elite prospect.
There is really no risk here for Notre Dame. With standout edge Boubacar Traore and talented rising junior Bryce Young returning, and an elite incoming freshman class arriving next week, the Irish are already in a strong position on the edge. If Keeley doesn't regain his old form he still provides Notre Dame with a quality depth player that helps bridge the gap between the veterans (Traore, Young) and the freshmen (Rodney Dunham, Ebenezer Ewetade). He's established he can handle that kind of role and contribute.
But if Notre Dame is able to get Keeley back into the form that made him an elite recruit coming out of high school it gives the defense yet another long and talented player on the edge. I believe that Keeley still has the big time talent that made him a fan favorite when he was committed to Notre Dame. If he puts in the work I could see him being a big time portal pickup for the Irish.
The good news for Notre Dame is also that Keeley took a redshirt season in 2023. That means he has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Keeley will get the entire 2026 season to get his game back, establish a role in the Irish defense and then hopefully get back to his old form during the 2027 campaign.
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