Notre Dame Lands Transfer Defensive Tackle Elijah Hughes

Notre Dame has picked up a third transfer portal pick up today with former USC defensive tackle Elijah Hughes announcing his commitment to the Fighting Irish. Hughes is rare in that he is an undergraduate transfer that has two seasons of eligibility remaining after playing his first two seasons with the Trojans.

Hughes wasn't used much for the Trojans, playing just 126 snaps this season and 88 as a true freshman in 2023. He earned playing time in USC's win over Rutgers due to injuries at the position, and he played very well. He registered his only official sack in a 28-20 win over Nebraska.

The 6-3, 290-pound rising junior projects as an interior player for the Irish, but he was used at times on the edge for USC. In fact, his sack against Nebraska came on an edge pressure. He is an athletic player that was a dominant prep player that went largely overlooked. He earned offers from USC, Stanford and Miami (Fla.) but was just a three-star recruit. 

Despite being overlooked, Hughes was an outstanding high school football player. He racked up 32 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and four fumble recoveries as a senior, earning regional player of the year honors. As a junior, Hughes racked up 113 tackles and 13 sacks. He finished his career with 331 tackles, 91 tackles for loss and 33 1/2 sacks. He also had three defensive touchdowns for Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, Va.

Hughes is an aggressive and athletic interior player that fits the Notre Dame system well. He's a bit of an unknown because there is limited film on him, but his quickness certainly flashed in those limited opportunities that came late in the season. Hughes is the second transfer defensive tackle to choose Notre Dame, with Louisville DT Jared Dawson committing earlier in the day.