Notre Dame DB JaDon Blair enters NCAA Transfer Portal after freshman season

Notre Dame safety JaDon Blair will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal when it opens on Jan. 2, according to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett. He was a key member of the Fighting Irish’s 2025 recruiting class, but he’s now looking to leave the program.

It’s likely that Blair is unhappy with his playing time this past season, as he only played 19 snaps on defense, all coming in a 70-7 victory against Syracuse.

As a recruit, Blair was the No. 115 overall player and No. 11 safety according to the 2025 Rivals Industry Ranking. He gave the Irish a marquee, high-profile recruiting victory when he committed to the program in the summer of 2024.

Blair’s recruiting journey was long. He narrowed his options to Florida State, Michigan, Louisville, Notre Dame, Penn State, South Carolina and Virginia Tech. Blair had been a top target for the Notre Dame staff since offering him back in April 2023, and their efforts paid off when they got him to verbally commit.

And Blair didn’t look back after that. Other programs wanted to flip him, but he was steadfast in his Notre Dame commitment.

But his time with the program is coming to an end after he had such high expectations as a recruit.

Notre Dame has seven scholarship safeties from the 2025 roster with eligibility after Blair’s expected transfer: Tae Johnson, Ethan Long, Brandon Logan, Adon Shuler, Ben Minich and Luke Talich.

And the Irish add the following safety prospects from the 2026 class: Joey O’Brien and Nick Reddish.

As a senior in high school, Blair posted 66 tackles, 3 pass breakups, 1 caused fumble and 2 interceptions, plus 22 receptions for 529 yards with 6 touchdowns on offense.

“He’s certainly the biggest safety among national prospects at the position,” Rivals director of scouting and rankings Charles Power said of Blair. “He’s over 6-4 and 190 pounds with 33-inch arms. He has a big frame, and he’s going to continue to fill out. He has really fluid movement skills at that size and can play multiple safety spots in the secondary.”

He was named the 2023 Central Piedmont 4A Defensive Player of the Year and made it on the Winston-Salem Journal’s All-Area team. Blair was a third-team all-state performer according to the 2023 HighSchoolOT North Carolina All-State Football Team.

“I’m going to be the most hard-working person,” Blair told Blue & Gold during his recruitment. “I’m a competitor at heart. I’m going to compete in every single thing I do. And I’m not talking about just football — in the classroom, or we could be bowling or playing laser tag. I just love to compete.

“Notre Dame is getting a true competitor at heart who is going to give it everything he’s got and will live up to and exceed expectations because that’s what I’ve been doing my whole life.”