The Notre Dame football team enters the 2025 season with a wide receiver room that could quietly become one of the program’s best in recent memory. While the running back group, led by Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and Aneyas Williams rightly draws headlines as the team’s premier offensive unit, the receiving corps is loaded with a mix of proven playmakers, transfers, and high-upside young talent. This group is ready to provide a major boost to whoever claims the starting job at Quarterback, bringing new dimensions to a Mike Denbrock offense that has most recently leaned on its ground game and tight ends.
Greathouse and Faison lead the charge for the Notre Dame football team
Notre Dame’s receiver room returns and adds a significant amount of proven production and potential. Jaden Greathouse, coming off a breakout campaign, headlines the group. His strong finish last season, highlighted by 13 catches, 233 yards, and three touchdowns in CFP games against Ohio State and Penn State, has set expectations high for his junior year. Greathouse’s route-running, physicality, and knack for contested catches make him a reliable target and a leader in the room.
Jordan Faison, the two-sport sophomore, brings speed and versatility to the slot. He flashed big-play ability last season and is expected to be a key weapon in the Irish passing attack. KK Smith, another returnee, offers quickness and separation skills, giving Notre Dame a trio of homegrown receivers who can stress defenses in multiple ways.
Portal playmakers: Fields and Pauling bring ready-made impact
Notre Dame didn’t just reload through development, they made moves in the transfer portal. Malachi Fields brings size and experience from Virginia. He can be a go-to guy on the outside and a red-zone target. Will Pauling, meanwhile, is one of the more underrated portal gets in the country. A true technician out of the slot, he’s already familiar with WR coach Mike Brown from Wisconsin, and that chemistry is already showing. Pauling’s football IQ and feel for spacing will be a huge asset, especially for a young quarterback looking for consistent options.
Emerging talent: New blood adds depth and playmaking potential
The Irish also boast an exciting crop of young receivers. Micah Gilbert and Cam Williams, both freshmen, arrive with high expectations. Williams, in particular, was a blue-chip recruit known for his explosiveness and ability to make plays after the catch.Although he is dealing with an injury, Gilbert adds size and athleticism, giving the Irish another option to stretch the field vertically.
Among the true freshmen, Elijah Burress, the son of former NFL star Plaxico Burress, brings pedigree and upside, while Jerome Bettis Jr., son of the legendary Notre Dame and NFL running back, adds further intrigue and depth. These newcomers may need time to adjust to the college game, but their talent is there and could lead to early contributions, especially as the Irish look to rotate more receivers and keep legs fresh.
A quarterback’s best friend: Why this WR room will matter more than ever
Whether it’s CJ Carr or someone else under center, a strong WR group is going to be critical. Last year, Notre Dame’s passing game was inconsistent, part of that was due to injuries and limited options at wideout. That shouldn’t be the case in 2025. This group is deeper, more talented, and should give the QB room real support with targets who can win early in routes and stretch the field.
The underrated X-factor in Notre Dame’s 2025 playoff push
Bottom line: while the running backs might be the engine, the wideouts could be what makes this offense go. They might not be getting national love yet, but if they stay healthy and click with the QB, this could be the most balanced and explosive Irish offense we’ve seen in a long time.
Don’t be surprised if the wide receiver room ends up being the X-factor in Notre Dame’s push for the Playoff.