Instead of getting ready for a first-round playoff matchup this weekend — the assumed destination for a 10–2 Notre Dame team — the Irish coaching staff is already turning its attention to the transfer portal and long-term planning for 2026. That reality is far from ideal, but it does come with one advantage: time. And with extra time comes an opportunity to attack the portal proactively, the way Notre Dame has successfully done in recent years.
One position stands clearly above the rest as Notre Dame’s most pressing need heading into 2026: defensive tackle.
Notre Dame has long preferred to build its roster through recruiting and development, using the transfer portal as a supplement rather than a yearly free-agency free-for-all. For the most part, that approach has worked.
Malachai Fields and Will Pauling helped stabilize the wide receiver room after recruiting failures late in Del Alexander’s tenure. Devonta Smith this season, Jordan Clark last year, and Thomas Harper the year before seamlessly filled the nickel role in Al Golden’s defense. At quarterback, Jack Coan, Sam Hartman, and Riley Leonard were all necessary portal bridges following the disastrous quarterback recruiting stretch at the end of the Brian Kelly era, before Notre Dame finally turned to a homegrown solution this season in CJ Carr.
Heading into 2026, there are not many glaring roster holes — at least not yet. That could change once the portal officially opens, but as of now, the only known departure is quarterback Kenny Minchey, which was expected once he lost the starting competition to Carr this summer. Most other positions fall into the “nice to have” category, where Notre Dame can be selective and opportunistic.
Defensive tackle is different.
Jason Onye’s uncertain future
The biggest variable in Notre Dame’s interior defensive line picture is Jason Onye. There is a chance Onye could be granted an additional year of eligibility, but even if he returns, Notre Dame will still need to add at least one interior lineman through the portal. If he does not receive another year, the Irish will likely need two.
Onye started nine games in 2025, finishing the season with 1.5 tackles for loss. More importantly, he graded out as Notre Dame’s second-highest-rated interior defensive lineman according to Pro Football Focus, posting a 78.5 overall grade. He also closed the season strongly. After failing to crack a 70.0 grade in any game during the first half of the season, Onye graded above 70.0 in all but one game down the stretch.
Onye missed most of the 2024 season due to what was described as personal matters, leaving open the possibility of a medical hardship waiver. If he returns, Notre Dame’s defensive tackle depth chart becomes clearer, with Onye and Donovan Hinish likely sitting atop the rotation. Without him, however, the urgency to hit the portal increases significantly.
In-house options
Notre Dame does have younger players who could be ready for expanded roles, though none have yet proven they can anchor the position.
Elijah Hughes, the USC transfer, logged 264 snaps in 2025 and earned a strong 76.1 PFF grade, suggesting he can be a valuable rotational piece. Armel Mukam appeared in just 69 snaps, but the former developmental prospect has added size each year in South Bend and could be poised to take a step forward.
Beyond that, the rest of the room remains largely unproven. Cole Mullins, Gordy Sulfsted, Davion Dixon, and Sean Sevillano Jr. were all freshmen eligibility-wise this season and will get opportunities this spring. That said, relying solely on internal development at defensive tackle is a gamble. If Notre Dame can add an experienced, plug-and-play interior lineman — similar to the role Jared Dawson filled this past season — they will almost certainly pursue that option.
Why defensive tackle is different in the portal
Finding impact players at defensive tackle in the portal is not easy. Unlike positions such as running back or wide receiver, where talent floods the portal every offseason, proven interior defensive linemen are scarce. Notre Dame was fortunate to land both Dawson and Hughes last cycle, and replicating that success will be critical again.
As currently constructed, Notre Dame’s defense projects as elite in the secondary, at linebacker, and along the edge — assuming the Irish can successfully re-recruit Adon Shuler, Drayk Bowen, and Boubacar Traore, all of whom are draft-eligible and could explore early exits. Even with Onye back, however, it is difficult to view defensive tackle as national championship-caliber without additional help.
In an ideal scenario, Notre Dame would get Onye back for one more season and then add a high-end interior lineman through the portal. Dawson was very good in 2025, but finding a player who could provide even more interior disruption would significantly raise Notre Dame’s defensive ceiling. A player of Dawson’s caliber should be considered the floor in terms of the production Notre Dame needs from a portal tackle.
It should be an easy sell if the right player enters the portal, though competition will be fierce. High-end defensive tackles command serious NIL money. Still, for any interior lineman looking to maximize their draft stock, it would be hard to find a better situation — surrounded by elite talent at every other level of the defense, with plenty of one-on-one opportunities as a result.
There are other areas on the roster that Notre Dame will add as well, but most of the other positions are closer to championship-ready. Defensive tackle is the one real question mark — and the portal will likely decide whether Notre Dame can turn promise into a true national title push in 2026.
