SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame landed one of its top targets in the transfer portal on Monday when former Virginia wide receiver Malachi Fields announced plans to play his final season for Marcus Freeman.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Fields will enroll at Notre Dame as a graduate student after entering the transfer portal last week. He was considered a potential NFL Draft entrant before deciding to return to school, a common decision in the NIL era.
Fields posted 55 catches for 808 yards and five scores last season after making 58 receptions for 811 yards and five touchdowns as a junior. Against Notre Dame last month, Fields posted four receptions for 81 yards.
GO DEEPER
There aren’t a lot of firsts at Notre Dame. This was one of them
Fields made Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List last summer at No. 66.
“He has elite strength and power for a wideout: He has close-grip bench pressed 365 pounds and did 21 reps of 225 with a close grip this offseason. He front squatted 355 pounds to go with a 38-inch vertical and a 10-7 1/2 broad jump. His shuttle times are impressive, too, going 4.18 in the pro agility and 6.81 in the 3-cone, and he passed 22 mph on the GPS,” Feldman wrote.
Notre Dame lands Virginia wide out Malachi Fields, who posted 800-yard receiving seasons each of the past two years. Virginia standout announced his decision on Instagram, which has been expected for weeks. pic.twitter.com/5PLr54qwLc
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) December 23, 2024
Notre Dame had a hole at boundary receiver after losing Clemson transfer Beaux Collins, who also made the Freaks List. The Irish could potentially bring back Jayden Thomas and/or Deion Colzie on the perimeter, but neither has produced at the level of Fields. Freshman wide out Micah Gilbert also projects at boundary receiver and is coming off a redshirt season.
Pro Football Focus credits Fields with 20 competitive catches over the past two seasons. Collins and Jaden Greathouse led Irish WRs with five each this season. Chris Tyree and Rico Flores led Irish WRs with four each a year ago.
Notre Dame is expected to add Alabama nickel back Devonta Smith in a transfer haul that needs help at defensive tackle, defensive back and kickers, among other positions. Freeman is on record that Notre Dame doesn’t want to go back to the portal for a starting quarterback after signing Riley Leonard and Sam Hartman in back-to-back off-seasons.
(Photo: Amber Searls / Imagn Images)
