Notre Dame continues to work the transfer portal with urgency as the winter window opens, and the Irish are set to host two notable visitors early next week in Nick Marsh, a wide receiver from Michigan State, and Jontez Williams, a cornerback from Iowa State. Both are scheduled to visit Notre Dame on Monday.
Both players have emerged as legitimate portal targets at positions of need, and the visits signal that Notre Dame is moving aggressively to address roster questions heading into the 2026 season.
Marsh, one of the more productive wide receivers in the Big Ten this past season, is expected on campus early next week following a visit to Indiana this weekend. That sequencing is worth noting — and not in a good way from Notre Dame’s perspective.
Indiana has largely built its CFP semifinal roster that just embarrassed Alabama via the portal, and hosting Marsh first gives the Hoosiers an opportunity to set the tone, establish momentum, and potentially make Notre Dame play from behind. For a wide receiver with proven Power Five production, timing and early impressions matter, especially when NIL structure and offensive role clarity are part of the conversation. While Notre Dame getting Marsh on campus at all is a positive development, the Irish will likely need to make their visit count.
Marsh would represent a significant addition to a wide receiver room that is looking for proven production and reliability. Notre Dame has young talent at the position, but the lack of an established, high-volume boundary receiver remains a concern entering 2026. A player like Marsh checks several boxes immediately, which is why competition for his commitment should be expected.
Williams, meanwhile, gives Notre Dame another defensive back to evaluate in person as the Irish continue to explore options at corner as they have each of the past three years. The position has been a quiet but important area of portal exploration, particularly with Notre Dame seeking to balance experience and depth in a room that has had struggles over the last few years when veteran nickel corners have been hurt.
Unlike Marsh, Williams’ recruitment feels more luxury at this stage, but the visit itself is notable. Notre Dame typically doesn’t portal targets to campus without seeing a potential role, whether that’s as a rotational contributor or someone capable of pushing for more snaps over time. Setting up a visit with the #1 ranked portal CB on day one signifies that the Irish are being aggressive and not just plugging obvious holes this year – they are seeking to improve wherever they can.
Neither represents an imminent commitment until Notre Dame can get them on campus anyway, but together they underscore Notre Dame’s approach as the portal window opens: targeted, position-specific, and increasingly competitive. For Marsh especially, the Irish will need to overcome early momentum elsewhere if they want to come out of next week feeling confident.
Expect more clarity once both visits are complete – and possibly more urgency if Notre Dame doesn’t capitalize. Expect more names and visits to start popping up fast and furiously.
