College football is just days away from the transfer portal officially opening. That means that all the players who have announced their intent to enter the portal will be free to be contacted by any college football coach.
While Notre Dame has had a few players choose to hit the portal, they have stayed relatively clean from any huge names deciding to take their talents elsewhere. However, the Irish are taking a hit when it comes to players taking their talents to the NFL. The biggest hits come from Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Love choosing to forgo their final seasons of eligibility.
That means that head coach Marcus Freeman will have some work to do when it comes to some position groups. So, looking at where Notre Dame could be after the dust of transfer portal announcements and NFL declarations settles, here are three position groups Freeman must address.
Running Back
With Love and Price both declaring for the draft, Notre Dame will need some depth at the running back position. Now, it is not like the Irish don't have an immediate option on their roster because Aneyas Williams seems like the guy to step up for Notre Dame. However, the Irish have had a lot of success with a running back duo, so why not look to the transfer portal too?
Saturday Blitz released their updated rankings of the running backs intended to be in the portal come Friday, and the list is very enticing for Notre Dame. Obviously, there are top guys like Cam Cook and Hollywood Smothers, but the Irish don't need the top guy in the portal necessarily.
One of the better options for the Irish could be former Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards. After leaving Colorado, Edwards found another gear with the Wildcats, and he could do that again at Notre Dame. His rushing ability and skill of being patient until a seam opens up would be perfect for Notre Dame.
Wide Receiver
Notre Dame still has Jordan Faison in the building, which is huge to bring back the leading receiver for the Irish, but Malachi Field is most likely heading to the NFL. So, with the rushing threat of Love and Price gone, Notre Dame needs an upgrade in the wide receiver room in order to bolster the passing game.
Carr is bound to take a step forward next season, especially if he can get a couple more top-tier receivers. It looks like Notre Dame could be a top landing spot for former Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh, but any of these guys could make a big impact on the Irish next season in Freeman's offense.
Defensive Line
The defensive line might be the biggest need that Freeman will have to address next season. While Notre Dame's defense certainly got better as the year went on, there was not enough pressure on the line in order to make the Irish defense a powerhouse.
Freeman knows how to take potential and turn it into true talent, and for a lot of the defensive linemen on that list, many of them have potential from the Group of Five teams. Santana Hopper finished the year with 4.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss, and that is being undersized for a defensive lineman. He has a knack for getting to the quarterback, so getting someone like him in Chris Ash's defense could help his development.