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Notre Dame

Greg McElroy identifies Notre Dame's biggest needs in transfer portal

Barkley-Truaxby: Barkley Truax05/02/25BarkleyTruax
marcus freeman-9
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. (Mike Miller, Blue & Gold)

Notre Dame added eight players from the NCAA transfer portal this offseason. But will the Irish call it quits there, or is there room for more transfer talent in South Bend?

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy recently broke down the biggest needs for certain teams in the transfer portal this offseason. When he got to Notre Dame, McElroy reiterated exactly what the Fighting Irish’s head coach has been saying since after the spring game.

“Marcus Freeman flat out told us, ‘We’re not actively seeking to add to our roster.’ They’re happy with what they got. That is, according to the head coach. So I will listen to the head coach and take his word for it,” McElroy said. “They did add eight players on the portal back in December, and there have been times in the past in which they’ve gone to the portal this time around the spring window. … So it’s possible that if a guy leaves, then they may backfill it with some quality in this portal window. But I do not anticipate at this point, Notre Dame being very active in the portal whatsoever.”

The eight players that Marcus Freeman added during this past offseason are as follows. WRs Malachi Fields and Will Pauling, TE Ty Washington, DLs Jared Dawson and Elijah Hughes, CB Devonta Smith, S Jalen Stroman and K Noah Burnette.

Following the Irish’s spring game last month, Freeman confirmed that Notre Dame is “not actively looking for additions to our roster.” Although, he didn’t rule out completely straying away from the portal for the rest of he offseason.

“If there’s something that pops up that we think could help us truly become a better football team, then we got to look at it and address it,” Freeman explained. “That just doesn’t mean talent, though. 

“There could be talent that can add to your program, but if it’s not right for the room, it’s not worth it if it’s not right for the big picture of your football program. But again, we will evaluate if there is a guy that is the right fit for the right room and make decisions here in the next week or so if there’s something that pops up.”

Notre Dame will kick off the 2025 regular season on Sunday, Aug. 31 against Miami. based on Freeman’s account, whether the Irish’s roster will look exactly as it does by then remains to be seen.