Elite running backs and top receivers depart, leaving a significant void for Notre Dame's offense. Replacements face immense pressure to fill massive production gaps.
Notre Dame's offense heading into the 2026 season is in a very similar spot the defense was heading into the 2025 season. Their losses on the roster were at a minimum, but the impact of the players leaving carry a heavy weight. Last season, the defense headed into the offseason losing Xavier Watts, Rylie Mills, Ben Morrison, Jack Kiser and Howard Cross III amongst a few others. This season, the offense is losing running backs Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and impact pass catchers Malachi Fields, Will Pauling and Eli Raridon.
Let's start with the running backs. Heading into the 2025 season, Notre Dame was thought to have one of, if not the top, one-two punch at running back in the country. As the regular season unfolded, that statement became more and more clear. Love and Price had an exceptional season in South Bend leading to both players declaring for the NFL Draft. Love is expected to be a first-round pick while Price is expected to be a day two to day three steal. Mel Kiper Jr. has both Notre Dame running backs as the No. 1 and No. 2 running back prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft.
This season, they combined for 2,076 rushing yards, 29 rushing touchdowns, 367 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. Love led the way with 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns while Price added an additional two touchdowns and averaged 37.5 yards per kick return. This has been the best running back duo we've seen in South Bend in the last 30 years and their impact will be extremely difficult to replace.
The Irish will also be tasked with replacing three of their top four pass catchers from this past season as well. Fields, who transferred in from Virginia this past offseason, is out of eligibility and is off to start his professional career. He ended the season as the team's second leading receiver. The 6-4, 223-pound boundary receiver hauled in 36 passes for 630 yards, averaged 17.5 yards per catch and five touchdowns which was second on the team. Notre Dame is without a proven boundary receiver heading into 2026, but have solid options currently on the roster and in the portal.
Pauling, a transfer receiver from Wisconsin, is also headed off to start his professional career. He came to South Bend in the winter this past offseason and was named a team captain by fall camp. The 5-10, 190-pound slot receiver ended the year as the team's fourth leading pass catcher with 26 receptions for 381 yards, averaged 14.7 yards per catch and led the team with six touchdowns. His leadership and production this season will be missed.
Raridon, the team's No. 1 tight end, has also exhausted his final year of eligibility and is headed to the NFL Draft. He's already excepted an invite to the East West Shrine Bowl. The 6-7. 252-pound tight end finished the season as Notre Dame's 3rd leading receiver with 32 receptions for 482 yards, averaged 15.1 yards per catch but was unfortunately held out of the end zone in his final year in the blue and gold. He's an explosive playmaker showcased in the first two games of the regular season and a contested catch weapon over the middle of the field.
Notre Dame has an exceptionally deep roster on both sides of the ball, but the impact left vacated by these five exceptional players will be felt throughout the offseason. It's now time for some of the younger, unproven players on the roster to step up into a larger role this season because there's an exceptional amount of talent returning to Mike Denbrock's unit in 2026.
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