Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman making quick move for once-prized Ohio State WR

Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish aren't going to land every single one of their targets from the transfer portal, and as one player after another commits to their next program, the Irish are having to adapt.

Most recently, Notre Dame has set its sights on Mylan Graham, a former four-star wide receiver, who nearly committed to the Fighting Irish but spent the last two years with the Ohio State Buckeyes instead.

Graham was the No. 9 wide receiver in the class of 2023 and the No. 1 prospect out of the state of Indiana, committing to the Buckeyes over his home-state teams: Notre Dame or the Indiana Hoosiers.

Notre Dame hot on Mylan Graham's trail

Now, the Fighting Irish are pursuing Graham once again, hoping to land the four-star transfer prospect in their second go-around.

Graham redshirted during his true-freshman season for the Buckeyes and played minimal snaps for Ohio State in 2025, overshadowed by star wideouts like Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss.

However, he still earned nearly 100 receiving yards on just six catches, averaging 15.5 yards per reception.

Graham is still a highly coveted prospect, so the Fighting Irish won't be alone in their courting of him. However, with the home-state advantage and perennial powerhouse arguments on its side, Notre Dame has an undeniable leg up on other teams.

So far, the transfer portal hasn't exactly been kind to Freeman and his staff. The Fighting Irish have lost 15 players to the portal, with eight days remaining until it closes, and have brought in zero new prospects.

Also read: Notre Dame hosting former 5-star commit in what could be a full-circle portal moment

However, Notre Dame is fresh off the 2026 recruiting cycle, which landed the Irish the No. 2 nationally-ranked class, headlined by five-star prospects like EDGE Rodney Dunham, cornerback Khary Adams, tight end Ian Premer, and safety Joey O'Brien.