Massive 336-pound tackle Tionne Gray brings a rare blend of size and run-stopping power, bolstering Notre Dame's defensive interior.
Notre Dame has added a massive pickup to its defensive line by signing Oregon defensive tackle transfer Tionne Gray. That's both literal and figurative, as Gray is a talented player at a position of need for the Irish. At 6-6 and 336 pounds, Gray adds size to the Irish defensive line that is rarely has and it was clearly a priority for the staff to add in this class.
Gray jumped in the portal shortly after Oregon's season ended in the College Football Playoffs. Notre Dame made him a priority and was able to get him on campus for a visit, and the staff made quick work to add him to the class. Notre Dame lost two key defensive tackles to graduation (Jared Dawson, Gabriel Rubio), it could ultimately lose Jason Onye and Donovan Hinish decided to retire due to shoulder injuries. Adding impact talent at defensive tackle was clearly a priority, and Gray meets that big need.
The St. Louis native racked up 18 tackles and two tackles for loss while playing 232 snaps for the Ducks this season. He was part of a deep DT rotation for the Ducks and was a stout run defender. Gray shows good power at the point of attack and with his size he can be hard to move out of gaps. As Notre Dame looks to continue building an elite run defense under coordinator Chris Ash, adding more beef to go with the athletic penetrators that performed so well in 2025 was a priority. Gray clearly adds that kind of size, but he's also a quality athlete that is not even close to scratching his full potential as a player.
Notre Dame has now added two portal pickups at defensive tackle, with Gray joining former Pittsburgh standout Francis Brewu. They have very different builds, with Brewu coming in at 6-1 and 280 pounds and Gray checking in at 6-6, 336 pounds. But both have outstanding potential as run defenders and both are strong, powerful defenders. Brewu is more of a three-technique that can also get after the quarterback, while Gray is a more of a pure nose tackle that can shut down the run game. Getting Armel Mukam to come back after he initially jumped in the portal was also very important for Notre Dame as it looks to rebuild its interior.
Gray comes to Notre Dame with three more seasons of eligibility remaining. He was ranked as the No. 17 overall player in the transfer portal according to 247Sports. He was ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 178 overall player coming out of high school according to Rivals.
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