Notre Dame eyes impact transfers to bolster defensive tackle and nickel positions, seeking disruption and proven veteran presence for 2026.
Notre Dame saw its 2025 season come to a disappointing early end, but that also means the Irish coaching staff gets an early start on building and developing the 2026 team. Part of that will be hitting the transfer portal to add impact players where they are needed and depth players in other spots.
Notre Dame has a loaded depth chart on defense, and as long as the staff retains the majority of its current roster they don't really have a lot of needs on the defensive side of the ball. Let's take a look at the portal needs on defense.
1) DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Need: High
Defensive tackle was a big need a year ago as well and the Irish hit it big with Jared Dawson and Elijah Hughes. The latter returns and Notre Dame has very good depth returning, plus some potential breakout players like Armel Mukam and Davion Dixon, plus two very talented freshmen in Tiki Hola and Elijah Golden. There isn't a need for numbers at defensive tackle, but as much as I like the returning talent and its potential, there is room for one impact player. Whether that's a disruptive, pass rushing player like Mateen Ibirogba (Wake Forest), or more of a massive, run-stuffing nose like John Walker (UCF) or Jamarrion Harkless (Purdue). Whether or not Notre Dame has interest in those players remains to be seen, but their skillsets sets the example of what Notre Dame could look for.
Notre Dame could take a bit of a risk and just focus on developing its young talent, and in a lot of ways I'd support that at almost all positions (WR, RB, TE, OL, LB, CB, S), including defensive tackle. But if the right player is available and interested in what Notre Dame has to offer as a program, it would make sense to add an impact talent to the depth chart, or a player with a skillset the current roster lacks.
2) NICKEL
Need: Medium
Nickel is to the defense what quarterback was to the offense for a number of years, a position where success in the portal was an absolute must. Notre Dame is getting closer and closer to not needing to hit the portal for a nickel, but I think they are still a year away at the position. Current freshman Dallas Golden showed a lot of promise at the position this season when he was thrust into the lineup after DeVonta Smith was injured and the older players struggled. Golden still needs a lot of technical work - which we knew when he signed - but his athleticism, length and competitiveness were all as good as advertised. He is the future at nickel and I'd love to see the Notre Dame staff give him every opportunity to earn the starting role this spring. He could be a true impact player at nickel or cornerback, and I believe the time is now for that to happen.
Having said that, the depth at the position still isn't ideal, and adding a veteran to guard against Golden not developing, or going down with an injury, could be a need for the Irish staff. There are other players they could move to nickel, or better yet cross-train at nickel should this happen, but if a veteran that has starting talent but also a willingness to be part of a rotation if Golden proves himself ready, the staff would be wise to pursue him as they continue building the depth at nickel.
3) DEFENSIVE END
Need: Low
The need here is all about who comes back. If Boubacar Traore, Josh Burnham and Bryce Young all avoid the NFL Draft and the transfer portal the Irish are pretty loaded on the edge. Notre Dame also seems to be high on the potential of Loghan Thomas (if he can stay healthy) and the future potential of young players like Christopher Burgess Jr. (unless he moves inside), Joe Reiff and Dom Hulak. The Irish are also bringing in a pair of big time freshman defensive ends in Rodney Dunham and Ebenezer Ewetade. As long as everyone returns I think the Irish are stacked here and don't really have portal needs, unless they'd want some veteran depth players to bridge the gap between the returners and the younger players.
4) SAFETY
Need: Low
This is another position where Notre Dame has extremely good depth, although I do expect multiple departures from the position into the portal. Starters Adon Shuler and Tae Johnson are both expected to return and key reserve Luke Talich also has another season of eligibility remaining. Notre Dame landed three talented freshmen in the 2025 class in JaDon Blair, Ethan Long and Brandon Logan, so unless the staff drops the ball and loses one of those players they provide very good depth behind the three veterans discussed above. Notre Dame also landed five-star safety Joey O'Brien in the 2026 class. Barring them having some surprising departures to the NFL or the portal the Irish are loaded at safety.
5) CORNERBACK
Need: Low
Cornerback is in the same boat as safety and defensive end. Barring unforeseen portal departures, the Irish return both starting cornerbacks (Leonard Moore, Christian Gray) as well as talented freshmen Mark Zackery IV and Cree Thomas. Golden is projected as a nickel right now, but if the Irish landed a big time nickel they could easily move Golden outside, where he also projects as an impact starter caliber player. The Irish landed arguably the top cornerback in the 2026 class in Khary Adams. That would be impressive enough, but incoming freshman Ayden Pouncey has big time talent and classmate Chas Smith is also a long, smooth cover player that could help out early on. The Irish have arguably the best cornerback roster in the country, so I don't see the portal need at the position.
6) LINEBACKER
Need: Low
Yet another position where Notre Dame is loaded and doesn't have portal needs unless they have mass departures. Starting linebackers Drayk Bowen and Jaiden Ausberry are poised to return for their senior seasons, and both Jaylen Sneed and Madden Faraimo provide talented depth and versatility to the depth chart. He'll likely miss some time early in the season, but Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa should return at some point in 2026 as well. The Irish could lose one of those five players and still be in a strong depth position, and that's even before we talk about the presence of players like Bodie Kahoun, Kahanu Kia, Anthony Sacca, Ko'o Kia and incoming freshmen Thomas Davis Jr. and Jakobe Clapper. The Irish don't really have portal needs at linebacker unless they land a player or two whose primary focus will be on special teams.
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