Notre Dame Lands Transfer DT Jared Dawson To Bolster 2025 Defensive Line

Notre Dame has once again gone back to the transfer portal for the defensive line, this time picking up Louisville grad transfer Jared Dawson. The Irish keyed in on Dawson very early on and he has now made it official by committing to the Irish this afternoon.

The 6-2, 305-pound native of Tennessee was a top player for the Louisville defensive line this season. A two-year rotation player coming into the season, Dawson emerged as a standout up the middle for Louisville in his final season with the Cardinals. Despite playing just 10 games due to a late season injury, Dawson finished third on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and he was tied for second on the defense with four sacks. He finished the season with 19 tackles and according to Pro Football Focus had 12 total pressures. 

Dawson has been a disruptive pass rusher in each of the last three seasons. He has played 794 snaps the last two seasons, and during that stretch he racked up nine sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. Consider that Notre Dame standout Howard Cross III has played 1136 snaps the last two seasons, and during those two seasons he racked up six sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. All-American Rylie Mills played 1,074 snaps the last two seasons and finished with 14 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

Dawson is a stout, quick penetrator that fits Notre Dame's aggressive defensive system. He can play both the nose tackle and three-technique spots, but I could see him fitting in quite nicely into the same role that Cross played the last three seasons. Landing Dawson helps ease the loss of Cross and Mills, who were outstanding players for Notre Dame the last two seasons. 

He's the second transfer pickup on defense for Notre Dame, joining Alabama nickel DeVonta Smith. Notre Dame will likely add two more defensive players from the portal this week, including another defensive lineman.