So you want Notre Dame Football to bring in some transfers — here’s what you need to know

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are in serious need of bodies at wide receiver. The decommitments of C.J. Williams and Amorion Walker from the 2022 recruiting class has put a serious strain on the position group. With newly signed Tobias Merriweather (not enrolling early) the Irish have just 8 scholarship receivers able to play this fall. Three of the eight are 5th year possibilities with another being a 6th year possibility.

So yes... Notre Dame should absolutely be looking at the transfer portal right now.

It gets a little trickier for the Irish. OFD Senior Editor, Jude Seymour, made sure to point out to me the specific restrictions with the transfer process at Notre Dame.

• Notre Dame doesn’t allow undergraduate transfers AFTER their academic sophomore year.
• Any undergrad transfer will need to be admitted no later than March 15.

These restrictions obviously make things more difficult as the pool of players that fit these criteria is much smaller. When you add in academic and cultural fit to the equation — the numbers drop even more.

Those transfer rules do NOT apply to those seeking a graduate transfer — which is why that has been more of the route for Notre Dame over the years.

Here’s the thing though... how much sense do grad transfers make for the 2022 Notre Dame season? Let’s just say that Braden Lenzy, Kevin Austin, Joe Wilkins, and Avery Davis all decide to return along with sophomores Lorenzo Styles, Deion Colzie, and Jayden Thomas. What does Notre Dame need on the roster and which possible player is willing to head to South Bend?

If you’re Marcus Freeman and Tommy Rees, there is a lot to sell to an undergrad transfer — it’s almost the same type of pitch as the one given during the recruiting cycle. For the grad transfers though, it gets a little trickier. They’re looking for immediate playing time and a guarantee (or close to one) of a starting job. Notre Dame’s problem for 2022 isn’t the frontline guys — it’s the depth. Who transfers in to be a part of the depth chart as their primary reason for being there? Who leaves if those promises are given and upheld.

It’s a very delicate process with not a ton of certainty involved.

Notre Dame could still add one or two players to the 2022 recruiting class as well. The next and final signing day starts on the first Wednesday of February. Given the absolute lack of prospects at the position that Notre Dame was actively recruiting just a few days ago, this route would take a ton of work by the staff to reel a kid into this class by February.

I don’t have any names to offer up as candidates right now. There have been some names thrown around, but that’s not for me to talk about at this moment. A lot of fans are pointing at a lot of guys in the portal, and this post is just to serve as a helping hand with your search.

Jude put in the work this morning and I just noticed. Thanks and you’re welcome.