2026 ND Portal Targets

[IrishInOntario]

Well that’s a kick in the nuts.

The Portal is extremely competitive and positions with limited quality bodies available, such as defensive tackle, lead to massive overpays for players... ND must know this and have a plan to address it because their roster has been absolutely gutted. One has to think that they'll be willing to pay an extremely competitive price to land two guys that they think can make an impact. Hopefully it's enough and they can either win a couple of these bidding wars, or find a couple guys that are willing to take a little bit less in order to be part of everything that ND has to offer.

 

[EvilleIrish]

Oh good

 

[ThePiombino]

Ibirogba Fong’d to Texas Tech

Fuuuuuuu

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Partridge Revisited thread

 

[Dale]

Oh good

Weird how you have something to say within minutes of certain news and are nowhere to be found for other

 

[EvilleIrish]

I’m sure we can win a title with Hughes and Mullins manning the middle.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

I’m sure we can win a title with Hughes and Mullins manning the middle.

 

[IRISHbluehen]

I’m sure we can win a title with Hughes and Mullins manning the middle.

You're such a dork but I simply can't bring myself to ignore you.

If Hughes and Mullins are the starters in Lambeau, will you agree to a ban bet? Ill go if they are, you can go if they're not. Guessing youre not gonna take that action lol

 

[NDMatt91]

Ibirogba Fong’d to Texas Tech

Not good, but I'll wait for the dust to settle before melting down.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Would have liked Igbirogba... That said I'm confident that ND will pay up sufficient money to buy two quality guys to round out the DT depth chart. I'll remain patient to see who they get. There are 4 names right now that I like outside of Igbirogba and it seems inevitable that a few more quality guys will jump in over the next two weeks.

 

[allenm5333]

Would have liked Igbirogba... That said I'm confident that ND will pay up sufficient money to buy two quality guys to round out the DT depth chart. I'll remain patient to see who they get. There are 4 names right now that I like outside of Igbirogba and it seems inevitable that a few more quality guys will jump in over the next two weeks.

Prister wasnt a fan. Maybe ND wasn’t either

 

[NDMatt91]

Prister wasnt a fan. Maybe ND wasn’t either

Really? I didn't read his film review but a week or two ago he sounded impressed on the II podcast.

 

[slick7410]

Really? I didn't read his film review but a week or two ago he sounded impressed on the II podcast.

Super explosive- first step is one of the best, still some rawness - 50%ish snap share. Prister echoed some scouting reports that he can still be washed off the map on double teams. I took it as Prister thought he was good , but not a can’t miss star.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

I’m sure we can win a title with Hughes and Mullins manning the middle.

We? You got a mouse in your pocket? GTFO.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Prister wasnt a fan. Maybe ND wasn’t either

I think he's a good player, but not some game changing addition. That said, ND probably isn't getting many of those types out of the portal, unless it's in a year that they need a quarterback.

There are probably 10 DT's in the portal this cycle that could produce similarly depending on how they're coached and what they're asked to do within a scheme. We just need ND to get at least two of those types, that can handle snaps.

I like Igbirogba, but he doesn't explode off the film as projecting to be significantly more productive than any of Gilliam, VanSumeren, Smith, Tompkins, Green, Campbell, Boireau, etc... Again, scheme matters, program fit matters and coaching matters.

 

[MrNimbus]

I’m sure we can win a title with Hughes and Mullins manning the middle.

I appreciate your commitment to the bit. I really hope you just post the punchline of "the aristocrats" one day.

 

[DCK_1981]

If he has watched that Alabama offense the last month as a RB and he’s enticed by what he’s seen, he’s not smart enough to attend ND on any level

I agree with everything said here. If anyone is choosing to go run for Bama when they haven’t been good all year they probably would t pass admissions

 

[slick7410]

Agreed. Alex VanSumeren would be my #1 , for strictly next year production. The penn st guy with multiple years would be up there too.

 

[NDMatt91]

I think he's a good player, but not some game changing addition. That said, ND probably isn't getting many of those types out of the portal, unless it's in a year that they need a quarterback.

There are probably 10 DT's in the portal this cycle that could produce similarly depending on how they're coached and what they're asked to do within a scheme. We just need ND to get at least two of those types, that can handle snaps.

I like Igbirogba, but he doesn't explode off the film as projecting to be significantly more productive than any of Gilliam, VanSumeren, Smith, Tompkins, Green, Campbell, Boireau, etc... Again, scheme matters, program fit matters and coaching matters.

I'm surprised that ND hasn't been linked to John Walker yet. 2 years of eligibility left and solid against the run.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Agreed. Alex VanSumeren would be my #1 , for strictly next year production. The penn st guy with multiple years would be up there too.

That's a tough pull for both because they'll bith be highly coveted, but a VanSumeren / Gilliam duo would likely be excellent paired with Hughes and a Mullins, Burgess, Dixon or Sevillano to round out the top 4.

 

[IrishLax]

Ibirogba Fong’d to Texas Tech

Word on the street from their boards is that their billionaire dude is going to effectively double their NIL commitment for next year and go "all in." Completely retool the talent on offense plus add even more difference makers on defense. I dunno how you compete with a single motivated individual with unlimited resources.

 

[IrishInOntario]

I'm surprised that ND hasn't been linked to John Walker yet. 2 years of eligibility left and solid against the run.

Heard from a source (not sure if it's accurate) that he's commanding north of $1.5 million He was one of the first names out there at his position, so I've heard the market has gone nuts for him.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

Word on the street from their boards is that their billionaire dude is going to effectively double their NIL commitment for next year and go "all in." Completely retool the talent on offense plus add even more difference makers on defense. I dunno how you compete with a single motivated individual with unlimited resources.

Have your own billionaire that likes to compete.

Does ND have any billionaire peeps?

 

[IrishInOntario]

Word on the street from their boards is that their billionaire dude is going to effectively double their NIL commitment for next year and go "all in." Completely retool the talent on offense plus add even more difference makers on defense. I dunno how you compete with a single motivated individual with unlimited resources.

I still don't think they'll get there. Simply isn't enough talent in the Portal to overcome their roster deficiencies, from their mediocre high school recruiting, IMO. They had just about everything go right for them this year and they still got hammered as soon as they played a real team.

Who knows though, maybe they land a big QB upgrade to Morton and they go on a run!

 

[choo choo]

Any kickers available?

 

[IrishInOntario]

Any kickers available?

David Olano from Illinois is really good. 86% this year on field goals. 100% on extra points. 2x Big 10 HM All Conference. He's from Chicagoland and is used to kicking in bad weather.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Have your own billionaire that likes to compete.

Does ND have any billionaire peeps?

Give me another 12 years... compound interest!

 

[Ndaccountant]

Word on the street from their boards is that their billionaire dude is going to effectively double their NIL commitment for next year and go "all in." Completely retool the talent on offense plus add even more difference makers on defense. I dunno how you compete with a single motivated individual with unlimited resources.

Isn't that Oregon?

 

[Crazy Balki]

Prister wasnt a fan. Maybe ND wasn’t either

Yeah, ISD didn't seem to waste a ton of energy on him. Certainly a player worth pursuing, but he isn't somebody ND should lose sleep over losing.

Keep in mind, Jared Dawson was the 83rd ranked DT in the 2025 portal class.

...I'm going to reiterate, because it bears repeating. Dawson was the EIGHTY THIRD DT in the 2025 class.

These ratings given to players in the portal are somehow worse than useless.

Good player, but there's going to be plenty of guys with as good or better potential as him available.

 

[Irish5Saint]

Prister and Loy have said ND has their guy locked up at kicker.