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Notre Dame is losing son of NFL Hall of Famer to transfer portal
Kennedy Urlacher came to Notre Dame with a ton of hype.
Sure, he was "only" a three-star recruit, ranked as the No. 61 safety in the 2024 class according to the 247Sports Composite. Most recruiting fanatics don't jump for joy when a three-star commits to their school, though there always is a bit of intrigue, and there's always potential. Plenty of "lesser-ranked" recruits have gone on to become stars.
That was perhaps the intrigue with Urlacher, especially because his father, Brian Urlacher, is known as one of the greatest linebackers of all time.
The younger Urlacher was a true freshman for Notre Dame during the Fighting Irish's run to the national championship, where they ultimately lost to Ohio State, but he did contribute a bit. He was a special-teams player throughout the 2024 season. He notched 12 tackles (seven solo) and one pass defended.
That's not a huge role, but again, he was a true freshman. Even so, it's being reported that Urlacher is hitting the transfer portal in search of a new opportunity.
BREAKING: Notre Dame Safety Kennedy Urlacher is entering the Transfer Portal, he tells @on3sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 16, 2025
The 5’11 200 S will have 3 years of eligibility remaining
He’s the Son of NFL Hall of Fame LB Brian Urlacherhttps://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/0IHzz6Wwyk
This is a bit of a shocking move, because in 2024, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman believed that Urlacher's father would be able to help him see the long-term picture at Notre Dame.
"I think even talking to Brian Urlacher, he's able to tell Kennedy, 'Hey man, this game's gonna end, and so go somewhere where you can maximize your football opportunities.' But understand, set yourself up for life after football, and I think that coming from the Urlacher family, a guy that didn't come here, but understood the value of Notre Dame, he had a huge impact on his son Kennedy," Freeman said, according to Drew Mentock of 247Sports.
The younger Urlacher's views on his future because of Notre Dame have apparently changed. It will be intriguing to see where he ends up, but Kansas State, Miami, Illinois, Penn State and TCU were all in the mix for him coming out of high school.
More must-reads:
- Notre Dame lands four-star WR over Georgia, North Carolina
- Ranking the new college football coaching hires for 2025
- The 'College nicknames that don't end in s' quiz
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