Notre Dame needs more out of its wide receiver than it’s gotten over the last few years in 2024, not only if it wants to reach the College Football Playoffs but also if it wants to start having more success on the recruiting trail and relying less on the transfer portal as well. A new offense under Mike Denbrock and a new voice in the receiver room in Mike Brown, along with a fully restocked room, should allow for that to happen, but it’s becoming evident that it’s not just a nice to have; it’s a necessity for the Fighting Irish moving forward.
Notre Dame has not had a receiver top 1,000 yards since Chase Claypool did it in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, the leading receiver in terms of receptions for the Irish offense hasn’t been an actual wide receiver since 2020, when Javon McKinley and then true freshman Michael Mayer tied with 42. In a day and age of college football, where high-flying offenses rule the day, that lack of production limits the Irish on the field and the recruiting trail.
Maybe in 2020, if the Irish had an elite receiver or two, they would have given Alabama a tougher time in the Rose Bowl. The Tide featured Heisman winner Devonta Smith along with future first-round pick Jaylen Waddle and future second-round pick Jon Metchie. Notre Dame countered with McKinley, Ben Skowronek, Braden Lenzy, and Avery Davis.
That’s ancient history at this point, although it’s fair to say that Notre Dame’s receiving problems have only gotten worse since then. Last year’s leading receiving in yards was Chris Tyree, with just 484. Rico Flores was third in yards with 392. Both transferred this off-season. The lack of production from its receivers has no doubt hampered the Irish on the recruiting trail, where they have also struggled to close out the class of 2025. Tanook Hines committed to USC earlier this week, and Dylan Robinson picked Washington over Notre Dame earlier today. Derek Meadows, once a long-time Notre Dame lean, looked primed to select LSU last week before ultimately delaying his announcement but there still isn’t a ton of optimism that Notre Dame will be his selection this weekend.
Would Notre Dame have an easier time landing elite receivers if it produced 1,000-yard receivers headed to the NFL every year? Absolutely. The fact that LSU placed two receivers in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft is likely a significant draw for receivers like Meadows to LSU.
With the same offensive coordinator who engineered the offense that produced those two first-round picks, Notre Dame has the opportunity to change that narrative starting this season. The Irish also completely overhauled its receiver room following a series of departures this offense by leveraging the portal. Flores, Tyree, Tobias Merriweather, and Braylon James all left, while Kris Mitchell, Beaux Collins, and Jayden Harrison all transferred in. Will it all come together in time to have an impact in 2024? The talent is certainly there for it to happen.
Jaden Greathouse
Greathouse entered his sophomore season after a strong freshman year that was limited by injuries. Despite missing some time and being limited at times when he was available, he led the Irish with five touchdowns. His best position is likely in the slot, even though he is a bigger, physical target instead of a smaller, shifty receiver typically considered a prototypical slot. Notre Dame tried him on the outside at times in 2023 because of a lack of options, but he was most effective in the slot and figures to play there often in 2024. Greathouse had three catches for 38 yards, including the game-clinching fourth down grab in the Blue & Gold game. Greathouse has all the tools to be a chain-moving monster out of the slot for the Irish.
Kris Mitchell
Greathouse shouldn’t have to play outside as much thanks to a pair of portal additions, one of them being Florida International transfer Kris Mitchell. Mitchell is a pure outside receiver who posted 1,118 yards and 7 touchdowns on 64 receptions last year at FIU. In the Blue and Gold game, his big-play potential was on full display with a 62-yard touchdown. It’s been a minute since Notre Dame has had a legit deep threat on the outside, and Mitchell is here to be that guy.
Beaux Collins
Fellow transfer Beaux Collins also figures to be a factor on the outside. While he sometimes played some slot receiver at Clemson, Collins is best utilized on the outside, where he can use his 6’3″ frame to come down with contested catches when matched up one-on-one. Collins was not at Notre Dame during the spring like Mitchell, so he will be a bit behind when fall camp opens in a few weeks, but he likely did not come to Notre Dame to come off the bench, so look for him to make an all-out push for a starting position in camp after hauling 38 passes for 510 yards a year ago for the Tigers.
Jayden Thomas
Like Greathouse, injuries hampered Jayden Thomas in 2023. While he appeared in 11 games for Notre Dame last year, he was not the same receiver in the second half of the year that he was in the first following a hamstring injury. He had three games of 60 yards or more over the first four weeks of the season and then didn’t top 60 yards in any contest again for the rest of the year, though he came close with four catches for 59 yards and a touchdown in the Sun Bowl against Oregon State. Where Thomas lines up will be interesting to watch as he’s succeeded as a bigger slot receiver, though it appears he will be a pure outside receiver for the Irish with the depth inside. Thomas and Collins will likely battle it out for the starting outside receiver opposite Mitchell all summer. When healthy, Thomas has flashed, but he’s had difficulty staying 100%.
Jordan Faison
The surprise of the 2023 season was the former walkon and dual-sport star. Faison earned a football scholarship last year by forcing his way onto the field, and then he won a national championship in the off-season for playing the sport for which he initially earned his scholarship. Faison is that prototypical small, shifty slot receiver, and he leveraged those skills to rack up 115 yards and a touchdown in the Sun Bowl to earn MVP honors. While Greathouse is almost certain to be the starting slot receiver, Faison is going to get plenty of reps in the rotation to build on his 19 catches, 322 yards, and 4 touchdowns from a year ago. It will be interesting to see if Denbrock and Brown devise some ways to get both Faison and Greathouse on the field at the same time, as it will be hard to keep either off of it.
Jayden Harrison
The third transfer receiver doesn’t figure to be in the mix for a starting position on offense though he does figure to be a huge weapon in the return game. Jayden Harrison will be the primary return man for the Irish. Still, it would be a waste of his skills if he wasn’t also used as a serious threat occasionally because he possesses elite speed. He only caught 28 passes for 410 yards last year for Marshall, but it would be wise for Denbrock to cook up some deep targets for him from time to time. Getting his speed on the field with Mitchell’s at the same time would give the Irish more speed than they’ve had on the field at the same time since Will Fuller and Chris Brown shared the field together.
Deion Colzie
The forgotten man amongst Notre Dame’s returning receivers, injuries have slowed Colzie over his career. Every time it looks like he’s turned a corner, something seems to pop up to slow him down. Colzie closed out the 2022 campaign strong and then opened the year with a 3-catch, 45-yard performance highlighted by a touchdown in the 2023 opener in Dublin. Then he didn’t record another catch all season after missing all of October and November with a knee injury. Colzie suffered another minor setback in the spring with a dislocated finger that cost him a few practices. That didn’t stop him from catching 4 passes for 58 yards in the Blue and Gold game.
KK Smith
Sophomore KK Smith did not play as a true freshman after injuries slowed him down in fall camp and ultimately derailed his freshman campaign. Smith has speed to burn and could be a weapon on the outside, though suddenly, there is traffic in front of him on the outside. Another year of developing behind Mitchell could be good for Smith. Smith showed his speed in the Blue and Gold game with a 38-yard reception, totaling 54 yards on 3 catches.
Incoming Freshman
- Micah Gilbert – Gilbert wasn’t the highest-rated receiver in the class of 2024, but he made an instant impact in spring ball. Gilbert was turning heads before the spring game, then he erupted with 2 touchdowns on 5 catches for 79 yards. Whether or not Gilbert can crack the rotation as a freshman remains to be seen, but he showed he has a ton of promise this spring.
- Cam Williams – Williams was the highest-rated receiver in the class as a 5-star on some services, but was slowed to make an impact in the spring. That should not temper expectations at all, though. Williams has all of the upside in the world.
- Logan Saldate – The only freshman receiver who wasn’t on the roster in the spring, Saldate adds some more speed to the room. Like KK Smith last year, though, an instant impact isn’t expected.
