Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Transfer Receiver Jayden Thomas Commits to Virginia Football

Originally posted on Virginia Cavaliers on SI
By Matthew Newton | Last updated Jan 27, 2025 9:02 PM ET

Virginia strikes again with another wide receiver pickup out of the transfer portal. Notre Dame transfer wide receiver Jayden Thomas committed to the Cavaliers on Monday night (January 27) following a visit to UVA this past weekend, sources confirmed to Virginia Cavaliers On SI. Thomas, who recorded 64 catches for 838 yards and seven touchdowns in 43 games in his career with the Fighting Irish, comes to Virginia with one year of eligibility remaining.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adam Friedman (@rivalsfriedman)

Thomas earned his degree from Notre Dame and entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining on January 22nd. A couple of days later, it was reported that Thomas was down to just four schools and Virginia made the cut along with Virginia Tech, Auburn, and UCLA. The Cavaliers managed to close the deal with Thomas before he took visits to the other schools.

This is the second offseason in a row that Virginia nabs a transfer wide receiver from Notre Dame, as UVA added Chris Tyree before the 2024 campaign. It also completes something of a receiver trade between the Cavaliers and Fighting Irish, as Notre Dame landed Virginia's leading receiver Malachi Fields through the transfer portal last month.

Thomas is the second transfer UVA has picked up who played in the National Championship Game, as the Cavaliers also acquired Ohio State linebacker Mitchell Melton last week.

UVA is expected to bring back Trell Harris, Suderian Harrison, Kameron Courtney, Andre Greene Jr., and Eli Wood in its receiver room and the Cavaliers have already added two pass-catchers from the transfer portal in Purdue's Jahmal Edrine and James Madison's Cam Ross. Securing Thomas gives Virginia a third receiver transfer addition and an experienced pass-catcher with good size who has contributed significantly on a national championship caliber team.

The Cavaliers have now landed 10 transfers on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, as Jayden Thomas joins quarterbacks Chandler Morris (North Texas) and Daniel Kaelin (Nebraska), wide receivers Jahmal Edrine (Purdue) and Cam Ross (James Madison), running back J'Mari Taylor (NC Central), and offensive linemen Brady Wilson (UAB), Tyshawn Wyatt (JMU), Kevin Wigenton II (Illinois), and Monroe Mills (Louisville).

Virginia has landed 19 transfer commitments from the portal this offseason:

Nebraska quarterback Daniel Kaelin
Louisville defensive back Devin Neal
Morgan State defensive back Ja'son Prevard
Fresno State defensive tackle Jacob Holmes
North Texas quarterback Chandler Morris
NC Central running back J'Mari Taylor
Elon defensive end Cazeem Moore
UAB center Brady Wilson
Eastern Kentucky linebacker Maddox Marcellus
Purdue wide receiver Jahmal Edrine
Alabama defensive lineman Hunter Osborne
JMU offensive lineman Tyshawn Wyatt
UNLV defensive end Fisher Camac
Illinois offensive lineman Kevin Wigenton II
Kennesaw State long snapper Bryce Robinson
Louisville offensive lineman Monroe Mills
James Madison wide receiver Cam Ross
Ohio State linebacker Mitchell Melton
Notre Dame wide receiver Jayden Thomas

Keep track of all of UVA's transfer portal activity, including outgoing and incoming transfers, here: Virginia Football Transfer Portal Tracker

Stay up to date on all of the transfers who have received offers from Virginia or who have scheduled visits to UVA here: Tracking UVA Football's Offers and Visits in the Transfer Portal