Though the 2024 Notre Dame football season is still underway with a National Championship game against Ohio State looming, the Irish coaching staff is already focused on 2025. On Saturday, they strengthened their defensive line by adding two transfers: defensive tackles Jared Dawson (Louisville) and Elijah Hughes (USC), addressing a key need for the upcoming season.
The Irish have made it clear that bolstering both their receiving corps and defensive line is a priority through the transfer portal. They’ve already added Will Pauling and Malachi Fields to the receiving unit, and now Dawson and Hughes join the defensive line. With Howard Cross and Rylie Mills out of eligibility and Jason Onye’s status uncertain, Notre Dame needed to reinforce its depth for 2025.
While Gabriel Rubio and Donovan Hinish’s strong playoff performances have eased the need for immediate starting-caliber additions, the Irish still required depth. The team has several promising linemen, but most have limited experience. Armel Mukamm, a rising junior, has played just 60 snaps, while other linemen like Sean Sevillano, Devan Houston, and Brennan Vernon have seen even less action. True freshman Cole Mullins, who hasn’t played this season, is also a year away from competing for significant minutes.
Notre Dame also signed Gordy Gulfsted and Davion Dixon last month, but they’re viewed as more developmental prospects for 2025.
With injuries already testing their line’s depth in 2024, adding experienced players through the portal was crucial. Dawson, in particular, is positioned to compete for a starting role, with Cross and Mills heading to the NFL. According to PFF, Dawson had a standout season with a solid 79.7 grade, well above Cross (71.5) and Mills (71.8), making him a strong candidate to step into a starting position in spring ball.
Leave a Reply