Notre Dame transfer portal: Top 4 recruits joining the Fighting Irish 

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are marching to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff after dismissing the Indiana Hoosiers, 27-17. They face the Georgia Bulldogs next in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. Coach Marcus Freeman has this team focused on the task at hand, and the team has been humming on both ends of the field, winning every game since September.

The transfer portal is still relatively quiet for the Fighting Irish. There are no new entries to the transfer portal since Aiden Gobaira entered back in October. The recruitment has also been under the radar, but they have made a few commits in the past couple of weeks to address senior departures after this season. We look at their top recruits for the next season.

#1 Malachi Fields (from Virginia)

One of the groups where the Fighting Irish have a hole is in their wide receiver corps. Factoring in the players departing after this season, their top two remaining receivers will be Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison, who are both sophomores. Both have not reached 400 receiving yards in a season, a part of it down to Notre Dame’s offensive scheme where all receivers get to eat.

Fields is a clear upgrade to the current receiving corps and is capable of being the long ball threat, having posted back-to-back 800-yard seasons for the Virginia Cavaliers. Fields will have the opportunity to get all the yards he can handle, which will be good for his draft prospects.

#2 Will Pauling (from Wisconsin)

Pauling is another capable receiver, although not of Fields’ caliber. In his time with the Wisconsin Badgers, he did a solid job in his role as a slot receiver and could reprise that role in Freeman’s system.

He went to the transfer portal after a down season this year, with Pauling only getting 407 yards and three touchdowns compared to 837 and six touchdowns the season before. He has one year left on his eligibility, and he will have more opportunities with the Fighting Irish than with the Badgers.

#3 DeVonta Smith (from Alabama)

With Xavier Watts and Rod Heard III in their last years of eligibility, they needed someone to fill in the gaps.

Smith traded Tuscaloosa for Notre Dame, where he will spend his remaining year of eligibility. He started all 12 games for Alabama this season, recording 30 tackles, five pass deflections, and a forced fumble. He usually played nickelback in Alabama, and he could spend time playing both corners and safety and plug the holes left by their seniors.

#4 Ty Washington (from Arkansas)

Mitchell Evans is playing out his final year of eligibility, and he is looking to generate draft buzz in this year’s playoff. Notre Dame tight ends’ room will be very light with Evans’ departure, so the Fighting Irish added Washington from the Arkansas Razorbacks.

In two seasons in Fayetteville, Washington was not given enough opportunities to show what he could do as he was lost in a logjam of wide receivers and tight ends on Kalen DeBoer’s offense, although he did manage to score four touchdowns. His 6-foot-4, 250-pound frame will be a good matchup for smaller defensive backs, and he could prove to be useful as a blocker as well.