Notre Dame’s 2025 season was over in a flash and while we’re not due a larger roster and recruiting update yet since our last article back in late October, it’s time to turn the page and look to the 2026 season. Although there are no games to look forward to or bowl practices filling the schedule this month it’ll still be a busy time in South Bend. Players coming and going are going to be happening swiftly as the transfer portal opens for 15 days beginning on Friday, January 2nd while Notre Dame’s academic spring semester begins on Monday, January 12th.
One Less Quarterback
Early last week, quarterback Kenny Minchey wasted no time entering the transfer portal as expected. The redshirt sophomore played in 9 games for the Irish with 20 completions (79.3%) for 212 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. It’s not a ton of experience but he can also run pretty well with 96 yards on the ground and 2 scores. A really nice skillset, plus a close off-season quarterback competition against freshman All-American CJ Carr, should drive plenty of interest nationally.
According to recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong the programs to watch for Minchey include Florida, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, and North Texas. As a native of Tennessee (outside Nashville) we wonder if Vanderbilt may be an appealing option. Or what about Indiana?
With that news, we have the following players from the 2025 roster moving on:
QB Kenny Minchey
QB Tyler Buchner
RB Jake Tafelski
WR Malachi Fields
WR Will Pauling
TE Eli Raridon
DE Junior Tuihalamaka
DE Jordan Botelho
DT Gabriel Rubio
DT Jason Onye
DT Jared Dawson
CB Chance Tucker
CB Davonte Smith
S Jalen Stroman
PK Noah Burnette
P James Rendell
It feels weird because we expected to see these players on the field in the blue and gold again. Especially someone like Jordan Botelho who has been with the program for such a long time and gets a bit of a weird send-off to his career. That’s a lot of beef lost on the defensive line. Maybe not irreplicable but still lots of lost experience.
Freshman Redshirts
I’ve updated the roster spreadsheet following the 2025 season, the annual switch over has begun. Thanks to several blowouts, quite a few true freshmen saw the field this past season but we’ll head into next year with almost everyone retaining a year of eligibility. In fact, no one on offense burned a year. Thankfully, the injuries on the offensive line subsided and the skill positions ended up relying on a small core of veterans without much impact from the 2026 class.
The only freshmen who used a year of eligibility include:
LB Madden Faraimo
CB Mark Zackery
CB CB Dallas Golden
PK Erik Schmidt
Golden made 3 starts for the Irish in 2025.
In this new roster era, it won’t hurt to keep Schmidt around if he’s willing to stay. He finished his first season missing all 3 field goal attempts and as we’ll get to below there’s almost no chance he heads into 2026 without serious competition for the job.
Early Enrollee Situation
There are so many freshmen enrolling next month that it’s easier to discuss who isn’t going to be on campus for this upcoming semester. Every single defensive signee will be enrolling early, which is crazy. The only others waiting until June to arrive include tight end Ian Premer, offensive lineman Ben Nichols, and offensive lineman Gregory Patrick.
Many are expecting the 5-star Premer to push for playing time out of the gate so it’ll be interesting to see what the depth chart looks like when he arrives this summer.
Damn near pulled it off, too.
Does anyone want to take an early punt on some impactful freshmen for 2026? Quarterback and offensive line aren’t likely. Linebacker is going to be tough to climb up the depth chart. You could play the numbers game and pick someone from this large receiving class, perhaps. Running back, tight end, or safety are smart bets.
Teddy?
Back on December 4th, the day after the early signing period opened up, reports trickled out that 2027 quarterback commit Teddy Jarrard was “seriously considering” reclassifying and coming to Notre Dame ahead of the 2026 season. After that initial burst of news there’s hasn’t been much reporting on the situation.
The talk has been incessant that Notre Dame doesn’t love the incoming Noah Grubbs (although I’m now willing to consider him underrated based on all the talk) and there’s a belief this may be informing the push to reclassify Jarrard. Or, maybe it’s the belief that Carr won’t be hanging around for the 2027 season. Or both issues.
A second quarterback for 2026, perhaps?
We’ll see how it develops, my initial feeling is this doesn’t need to happen. Obviously, this wouldn’t be happening if the Notre Dame coaching staff wasn’t interested in it coming to fruition. Jarrard is a very good, although not super elite, prospect who had a nice year at North Cobb as a junior. Bringing someone in too young could be really tough.
NFL Departures
Although he cheekily left the door open to a return in a comment this past weekend, 3rd place Heisman vote-getter Jeremiyah Love is surely heading early to the NFL after his junior season. He’s the consensus top running back in the NFL Draft process and 8th (Fox Sports), 10th (CBS Sports), and 14th (ESPN) overall in a few of the latest mock drafts. He’d leave the Irish after 2,882 rushing yards (6.7 per rush), 594 receiving yards, and 42 overall touchdowns in his career.
Jadarian Price is getting a few shouts as the second-best back in the NFL Draft process, although many mock drafts have him going later in the 2nd round or early 3rd round. Better odds to stay than Love maybe, but he’s been at Notre Dame for 4 years and would not gain much in stock by returning to South Bend.
Price can get out of the shadow of Love in the NFL.Â
Both offensive linemen Billy Schrauth and Aamil Wagner walked during the Senior Day ceremonies. Schrauth has a NFL future but with a knee injury I think that lowers his chances of leaving now for the pros. Wagner is a more interesting case. He’s started for Notre Dame the last 2 years–and if the discussion around him this year is accurate–he might be someone who is more likely to find a lucrative NIL deal at another school while the Irish seek to bring up some youth at this position and choose to use that money saved elsewhere.
Defensive end Boubacar Traore and safety Adon Shuler are guys pegged for NFL futures, although unlikely to leave early at this point in their careers.
More Expected, or Possible, Departures
There are 4 positions to focus on for roster losses:
WR –Â Everyone and their mother has an opinion on the future of Jaden Greathouse (officially 4 receptions in 4 games in 2025). Even if you assume he’s leaving (I’m not!) that still leaves 8 other receivers who are with the program before you even get to the gigantic freshmen class coming in soon. This also doesn’t even include quality roster players like Matt Jeffery. Wide receiver expected transfers: 2
OL –Â Barely having any early enrollees and offensive linemen never transferring are ideals of a bygone era in college football. Notre Dame saw 4(!!) offensive linemen transfer out last off-season. All 5 of the opening game starters can return for 2026, plus 3 others who have started games in their career. Six freshmen are coming to the program, too. Offensive linemen expected transfers: 2
LB –Â Jaylen Sneed has been on transfer watch for a long time and will now contemplate returning for a 5th season or playing elsewhere. If he’s gone, Sneed leaves with 107 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles over his career. Not bad! There are a lot of players on this depth chart for a defense that continues the trend of only playing 2 linebackers the vast majority of the time. Will the KVA injury open the door to someone? We have a few players (Zinter, Kia the Older, Kahoun, Rezac) who have been on campus for a while and haven’t carved out much of a role yet. Linebacker expected transfers: 2
DB –Â With the depth issues experienced this past season at corner, I’m not sure there are obvious transfers out coming into this off-season. Safety might be a different story, though. Ben Minich and Taebron Bennie-Powell are a couple of upperclassmen I’d keep an eye on. Defensive back expected transfers: 2
Portal Picking
If I’m Notre Dame my first steps to add from the transfer portal would be wide receiver, defensive tackle, defensive end, corner (or nickel), safety, and both a kicker and punter. Things look pretty similar to last year where the interior of the defensive line is the biggest need. If I could, I’d take 3 or 4 players.
With the right type of player I’d also be looking at running back and tight end.
Offensive line doesn’t look to be needed and I’d also scratch linebacker, unless things are looking bad for KVA’s recovery and an elite player is interested in coming to South Bend.
What about quarterback, though? I doubt we see it happen, especially if they’re trying to get Jarrard to reclassify and have opened that can of worms already. In a perfect world, an experienced and good backup can slot behind Carr for a year but that’s a tough sell for any quarterback who is serious in anything more than a Notre Dame degree. Wouldn’t you prioritize developing the young quarterbacks with an eye to a star transfer portal acquisition for 2027 if needed then?
I believe Jarrard if he graduated HS this spring would be 18 at that time. That makes him age right to graduate this year not next …no? Personally, I don’t see him passing Hebert, so it’s not with this season in mind, IMO. The question is, “is a year on NDs bench, next to Hebert, better for him long run, than a year playing in HS ?”
Your question at the end is the core issue here. I would think that it would matter where he can get the most live reps, which might be another year of high school
Ya but, that’s against HS players and he’s not learning ND playbook and such. Also, I would assume, not getting as good coaching. CJ needed a year, why wouldn’t Jarrard ? Who’s the QB in 27 then, if you don’t think it can be Hebert? I for one, and maybe the only one , don’t think that but, is there another option besides a transfer?
Hey Eric, I’ve been reading you since 2010 on pre-SBN OFD with whiskeyOFD, Mouth of the South (honestly not my favorite author) and others. I still recognize some commenters that I used to fight with while I was in college. All of us who thought Greer Martini was elite know who we are.
I think my first article was someone’s defensive coordinator relative explaining Diaco’s linebacker scheme. I think Diaco would’ve benefitted reading that article probably.
How do I give you guys money? It’s been 15 years and I’ve never given a cent. I pay a stupid amount for the Athletic to read Pete Sampson’s mindless drivel. I want you to do this for the rest of my life.
Well this is a pleasant surprise to wake up to this morning. Thank you!
Now gimme all your money!!
MARTINI was ELITE…against Navy
Ask Eric about the VIP subscription package — that one gets you all of the latest intel on current and future long snappers for ND
But without that subscription, how would you know that Kelly and Swarbrick were at odds the whole year while the beat writers were talking about unprecedented alignment? I can never take anything Pete Sampson says seriously after that debacle.
But really, is there a way to pay wordpress enough to stop screwing up the site and the commenting?
Inigo Montoya beat me to the punch but I came here to post: I don’t know what thread will be the segue out of this season and most apropos but I’d like to thank all the writers (and commenters) for this site and the discussion, year after year. I too have been following this “group” since the OFD days; it took me a while to re-find 18S after I got frustrated with the “new” OFD, but it was a post there that alerted me to the fact that Murtaugh and crew had a new home, so I searched. I appreciate the level headed and thoughtful approach in a sea of click bait. I read all the articles and all the commentary posts, even if I rarely post myself. Thanks for all the work. Go Irish.
Irish Springs !! Haven’t seen you in a day or two. It’s been since Navy and Dublin even, hope you’re still doing good things! Anyway — I’ll triple down on your great words, and those of Inigo Montoya. It’s a tough time for us Irish fans, with such a long off-season not our fault, so even more important that Eric and the “Room” hang in there and help us keep the faith and be engaged and informed.
Ya, thanks for another great season and year of courage Eric. You and I haven’t had a “crazy” disagreement in a while.haha Hopefully you know how much I appreciate you and this site.(the previous ones too) This is the first place I go every morning.
I thought it appropriate to respond under my friend Noise’s post, who I can honestly say is a true friend because of 18 Stripes. Thanks.
Coverage….ha
1,000% concur, Tom. I honestly think 18 Stripes embraces the genuine spirit of fellow ND fandom in a way that embraces the values and core of a unique program, in a respectful and informed fashion. And that creates a shared ethos that has brought us together. See you for Navy!
“See you for Navy”…..news of the day ! : )
I swear, it seems like Chance Tucker and Eli Raridon should be rising juniors.
When was the last time we had a key skill player opt to stay one more year instead of going into the draft?
Was it Michael Floyd?
How about for other teams, didn’t a number of Ohio State’s players from 2023 decide to stay for one more year and heavily contributed to their National Championship last year?
Any other teams anyone can think of in recent years where a notable star stayed that extra year?
What are we talking about for contract size for a 1st round, 1st RB taken player, and how much of that money is guaranteed if, say, he gets seriously injured in Year 1 of the contract? (Thinking about how to incentivize a star to stay one extra year.)
If Love is a mid-1st round pick his signing bonus is going to be around $12 million. The rest of his contract should add an additional $10 million for 4 years and I believe all ~$22 million is guaranteed on the rookie contracts.
I think you could count Xavier Watts, at least on the defensive side. Essentially depending on the position and draft projection, if a player is looking at 3rd round, or later, the NIL deal would likely exceed the rookie contract. I was sitting next to a former ND safety at the Miami game last year, and I said I was surprised Watts had come back. He admitted he didn’t know, but assumed that Watts NIL deal was worth more than a rookie contract.
There are several players this year that could fall into that category. Schrauth, Wagner, Bowen, Sneed, Shuler. I think there is likely little NFL interest in Hinish so his NIL deal will almost certainly be more. Personally, I think we can pay any of them more to stay than go pro. Other than Shuler, I don’t see any of them being earlier than 3rd round and Shuler is close. GIven KVA’s injury, I would pay Bowen and Sneed.
The one player where it would be interesting is Price. I think he will be right on the cusp. However, I am inclined to think he will be high enough in the draft. I am guessing mid-second round. RBs are not valued as much as they should be though. Estime probably made the wrong decision.
There is zero way we can pay Love enough to pass on the NFL guaranteed rookie contract. The same will be true next year for Leonard Moore. It could be true for CJ Carr. Without the injury, it might have been true for KVA. To be a true national title contender, we need at least four Love/Moore type players each year.
Egbuka came back for Ohio State. He was originally considered a for sure 1st rounder, seemed like he may slip into the 2nd, stayed a year, went 19th overall, so it probably all worked out for him considering he also got a national title.
Please don’t ask me to name them but, quite often mid round players that stay in college another year, move up significantly in the draft. I suppose it can depend on the depth at your position year to year.
In theory, Onye is eligible for a 6th year?
Also, I thought there was talk Rendell might have another year.
I’m not sure about Onye, maybe?
Who knows with Rendell, his case has been a mystery!