Notre Dame Lands Virginia Transfer Receiver Malachi Fields

Notre Dame has landed an impact wide receiver from the transfer portal as former Virginia standout Malachi Fields announced his intentions to head to South Bend. 

The Fighting Irish went into this portal season looking for an impact receiver, and Fields is that kind of player. He has excellent size at 6-4 and 220 pounds, he can stretch the field, he has top notch ball skills and he's been highly productive. 

Fields finished the 2024 season with 55 catches for 808 yards (14.7 YPC) and five touchdowns. He finished with 58 catches for 811 yards (14.0 YPC) and five touchdowns as a junior in 2023. Over the last two seasons that gives 113 catches for 1,619 yards (14.3 YPC) and 10 touchdowns. Fields is also a sure-handed receiver that had just two drops this season on 94 targets (PFF). Fields earned third-team All-ACC honors following the 2024 season.

The Charlottesville, Va. native missed all but one game as a sophomore in 2022, catching 5 passes for 58 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Pittsburgh. Fields caught 11 passes for 172 yards as a true freshman in 2021.

Fields was named a team captain for the Cavaliers in 2024, which means he brings leadership to the depth chart. 

Landing Fields gives Notre Dame a player that can play all over, but he projects as an ideal fit for the boundary position in the Mike Denbrock offense. He has the vertical speed and length to take the top off the defense, he can win contested throws and he can make plays after the catch. PFF had Fields as racking up 278 yards after the catch and forcing 12 missed tackles. Jaden Greathouse led Notre Dame's wide receivers with 175 yards after the catch. Kris Mitchell and Beaux Collins tied for the lead at receiver with six missed tackles forced.

Notre Dame hasn't had a player with this combination of size and athleticism in the boundary since Miles Boykin and Chase Claypool manned the boundary in 2018 and 2019. He brings skills to the offense that Notre Dame didn't quite have enough of in recent seasons.