Notre Dame navigates portal challenges, balancing roster needs with a top recruiting class. Key positions remain priorities amid heightened fan scrutiny.
I'd be lying if I said the transfer portal was off to an ideal start for Notre Dame. We're now over the half way point in the portal and there's still some needs that need filled. There's been a lot of talk on social media, the premium message boards and in live chats around the current state of the Fighting Irish roster. With all of the negativity, there needs to be a mental cleanse from the wild takes on either side.
Operationally, Notre Dame has not done what they've needed to in the transfer portal and have dropped the ball on some key targets. With that being said, their roster is in a point where every position is not needing to be backfilled via the transfer portal.
The biggest negative talking point around their fortune in the transfer portal is comparing what other teams are doing in the portal compared to Notre Dame's activity in the portal. Here's the facts, the Hoosier's roster is in a much different spot than the roster in South Bend. The Irish just signed the nation's No. 1 recruiting class in the country. Indiana signed the No. 24 recruiting class in the country.
Notre Dame has players on their roster returning like CJ Carr, Leonard Moore, Adon Shuler, Christian Gray, Boubacar Traore, Jordan Faison, Jaden Greathouse, Bryce Young and the list goes on and on. Indiana does not. The vast difference between what Notre Dame and Indiana have done in the portal is further amplified by how the season ended for the Irish and how the post season is currently going for Indiana, and it's been exciting to watch.
With that being said, the Irish don't have to match the pace the Hoosier's have on the portal trail. Let's be real about something, out of the 15 scholarship portal exits, they lost two, arguably three, players to the portal that were expected to contribute in the 2025 season. Those players were headed to places to be 'the guy' and whether you agree or disagree with their stance, that's the reality that we're living in.
Coming into this portal window, we talked ad nauseam about Notre Dame's needs in the transfer portal. Due to the departures of Gabriel Rubio, Jared Dawson, likely Jason Onye and the retirement of Donovan Hinish, the defensive tackle immediately became the No. 1 priority follow by wide receiver, kicker, nickel corner and potentially depth at the quarterback position. Notre Dame is still in play with several players in the portal to fill key needs, defensive tackle being top of mind.
This isn't an article dedicated to running cover for the operation, or lack thereof, in the portal. This isn't an article that's supposed to put blinders on the needs of the current roster. This is meant to be an honest evaluation of the current state of the roster. The process hasn't been ideal, and we'll have a lot to say about the transfer portal process in the 2026 offseason. But with that being said, Notre Dame is not at stake of not being a title contender this upcoming season because they didn't land every major portal target in the country. Take a deep breathe; let it play out.
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