The Final Pieces of the Puzzle: Grading Notre Dame's Transfer Portal Additions
- Noah Wehby
- 12 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Although Marcus Freeman and his staff got off to a bit of a slow start, they have been able to put together quite an exciting and talented portal class that is undoubtedly one of the best in the country. Good things come to those who wait, and that adage proved truthful for the Fighting Irish.
Photo by Notre Dame Athletics
Quincy Porter, Ohio State Wide Receiver: A
One of the two Ohio State wide receivers making their way to South Bend, Porter is exactly what Notre Dame hoped to get in the portal. After losing Malachi Fields at the end of the season, it seemed important that Fields' size and athleticism were replaced in the wide receiver room. With no significant replacement on hand, that meant they were going to have to find that size and jump-ball threat in the portal. Porter was their answer and a good one at that. Standing at 6'4" and 210 lbs, Porter is the prototypical size for a boundary wide receiver and brings unique size to an already talented room. Porter has yet to see real playing time in his college career, as he was just a freshman sitting in the best wide receiver room in the country at Ohio State. At Notre Dame, Porter will have the chance to live up to the five-star grade he received in high school and develop into a dangerous weapon for one of the best returning quarterbacks in the country. The only reason Porter is not getting an A+ is the fact that he is still an unproven commodity. The offense will be relying on Porter to develop into the player they need him to be, and not the one he is right now.
Mylan Graham, Ohio State Wide Receiver: B+
Making up the other half of the duo, Graham is another key addition to the wide receiver room. Like Porter, Graham is a very talented player who just never got his chance at Ohio State. The former five- star only recorded six catches during his time in Columbus. Now, Graham will likely be a big part of the offense at Notre Dame. While Porter's size and athleticism pop, it is Graham's smooth route-running and quickness that make him such an intriguing player. Graham could already be one of Notre Dame's best route-runners and playmakers after the catch. Although players like Jordan Faison are great at fighting for yards after the catch, Graham now brings the ability to break any play loose due to his speed and agility. Although talented, Graham is more of a luxury, it seems for the Irish. With a boundary wide receiver need filled with Porter, Notre Dame did not appear to need another receiver. The lack of filling a true need is the only reason the Graham addition is not an A, but it is never a bad thing to add talent to an already talented group.
Francis Brewu, Pittsburgh Defensive Tackle: A+
The biggest need for the Irish coming into this portal cycle was on the defensive line. After losing a lot of production and experience to the draft, graduation, and portal, it was critical that Notre Dame land some talented players along the defensive line. As the portal season progressed, it seemed increasingly obvious that Brewu was a must-get for Marcus Freeman and this Chris Ash defense. Brewu was rated as one of the best defensive linemen in the portal and fits perfectly with what Notre Dame wants at that position. He is explosive, incredibly strong, and has a real knack for getting off his blocks to make plays at the line of scrimmage. Brewu, in just his first year of real playing time, was one of the better players in the ACC at his position. He also has multiple years of eligibility to remain and grow at Notre Dame under Charlie Partridge. Brewu gets the A+ grade due to not only his skill and talent, but he also fills an important role for the 2026 Irish defense that is beginning to look more and more formidable.
Keon Keeley, Alabama Defensive End: A-
In a full circle moment for Notre Dame and the fans, Keon Keeley finds his way to Notre Dame to bring more reinforcements to the defensive line. It is well known that Keeley was once a five-star commit for the Irish before eventually flipping to Alabama. Although his talent would flash during his time at Alabama, Keeley never truly found his footing as a member of the Crimson Tide. Last season, Keeley totaled only 13 tackles and three sacks, a few being in the CFP. Now, it is Notre Dame's job to tap into the potential they saw when they recruited him just a few years ago. With his size and athleticism, Keeley has the chance to play a huge role for this Notre Dame defense. With a 6'5" and 282 lbs frame, Keeley has the size and strength to take some snaps from the interior of the defensive line. As the depth of that position is still a bit light, Keeley could be part of the answer. While being big enough to play in the interior, he also has the speed and athleticism to play on the edge alongside Boubacar Traore and Bryce Young. That positional flexibility is a huge bonus, but it will still be a waiting game to see if Keeley can finally break through and live up to the high school hype.
Jayden Sanders, Michigan Cornerback: B+
To help bolster an already stacked secondary, Sanders is another important addition to this Notre Dame transfer class. As just a freshman, Sanders played over 300 snaps, which is a ton of experience for a player his age. While Sanders did show promise on a talented and young Michigan defense, he also struggled at times, but it is obvious what Mike Mickens sees in him. Sanders is long, wiry, and appears to have good instincts for being around the ball. With a lot more room to grow, Sanders can now continue to hone his skills under the coaching of Mickens and the mentorship of Leonard Moore. With a few departures at this position, Sanders is going to offer great depth for the Irish and high upside for the future.
DJ McKinney, Colorado Cornerback: B+
As if this secondary needed anymore talent, McKinney is exactly what a Mickens cornerback looks like and should be a great fit. Going into his last year of college football, McKinney is also going to bring in a ton of playing experience to a group that has already played in their fair share of big games. Listed at 6'2, McKinney is a long, athletic, and aggressive corner that thrives in man-to-man coverage, a favorite for Notre Dame. With his impressive speed and length, McKinney is able to cover a lot of ground in coverage and make plays on the ball. In his three years of playing, he has totaled 18 pass breakups, four interceptions, and 133 tackles. Although he is not the nickel corner that many people thought Notre Dame would target in the portal, McKinney is just another big and athletic defensive back who will surely make an impact on what could be the best secondary in the country.
Spencer Porath, Purdue Kicker: A
The special teams unit was a bit of a roller coaster ride last season. Notre Dame saw three different kickers all struggle to put the football through the uprights. Porath will be the next transfer kicker in what now seems to be a pretty long line at Notre Dame. Last season, Porath was very accurate with the chances he got, hitting 88% of his 17 attempts. Although Porath may not have a huge leg, he has proven to be very accurate from short distances, going 9 of 9 on all of his attempts inside of 40 yards last season. With a career long of 53 yards, he does have the ability to hit from range, but it is beyond 40 yards where he saw both of his misses last year. Porath does not need to be the best kicker in the country for Notre Dame and its fans to be happy with his play. After last season, many would be happy to see him make all of his extra points, which he did last season. If Porath makes the easy ones and can consistently make some of the tough ones, Porath will be exactly what Notre Dame has been missing.
Tionne Gray, Oregon Defensive Tackle: A+
In a similar vein to Francis Brewu, the Irish doubled up late in the cycle with the addition of Tionne Gray from Oregon. After missing on some big interior pieces early in the portal window, a second defensive tackle, and one ranked very highly, was just what the doctor ordered for the Irish. Gray has incredible size, standing at 6'6" and weighing in at a hair over 330 pounds. In two seasons at Oregon, Gray compiled 18 total tackles and two TFLs, which both came during the 2025 campaign. Gray looks poised to become a great interior run-stuffer for a Notre Dame team that, once again, desperately needed help on the interior. To get a player of this quality that late during the portal window is a grand slam for Notre Dame. Gray and Brewu could both end up being the biggest additions in terms of immediate impact this cycle.
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