4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish who won’t be back in 2025 and who replaces them

Until the end, there was no quit in Notre Dame. Marcus Freeman's team battled plenty of adversity on its way to the College Football Playoff national championship game — from an early-season loss to Northern Illinois to a truly dizzying number of injuries to big names — and despite falling into a 31-7 hole to Ohio State in Atlanta on Monday night, the Irish refused to lay down. This time, though, they didn't have quite enough, failing to come up with the extra stop they needed in an eventual 34-23 loss.

Despite falling just short, this will be a team that lives on in Notre Dame lore, one that seemed to only get tougher the more the injury report piled up. After a season like this, Freeman knows how to replace talented players without missing a beat — and he's going to need to put that to use this offseason, as the Irish try to figure out how to get back to the CFP without some of this season's most important names. From quarterback to the defensive line, Notre Dame is set to lose quite a bit of talent; here are the losses that will loom largest, and how the team plans on replacing them.

4. TE Mitchell Evans

Replacement: Eli Raridon

Injuries and a more run-oriented offense kept Evans from building on his breakout 2023 season, but he remained an integral part of the Irish attack this year, a true mismatch at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds with the ability to stretch the seam or stay in and make a difference as a blocker. Out of eligibility, he's bound for the NFL Draft, and Notre Dame will miss his toughness and versatility next year.

The good news, though, is that the Irish have become something of a tight end factory, and the next one off the assembly line looks just as promising. One of the top recruits at his position in the 2022 class, Raridon has patiently waited his turn behind Evans for the last couple of years, and 2025 will be his time to shine. He's just as physically imposing as Evans, and no matter who winds up playing QB for the Irish next season, he'll be a valuable weapon.

3. DL Howard Cross

Replacement: Jared Dawson

You could just as easily throw Cross' running mate on the interior, Rylie Mills, on this list, as the Irish face something of an overhaul in the middle of their defense. The bad news is that both Cross and Mills will be difficult to replace next season. The good news is that Notre Dame got a head start on preparing for life without their dynamic duo, as both missed significant stretches of 2024 due to injury.

That created an opportunity for the players behind them, and Donovan Hinish in particular stepped up, showing a ton of toughness and disruption. Hinish will return in 2025, but the real key will be via the transfer portal, where Freeman secured a commitment from former Louisville standout Jared Dawson. Dawson racked up 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in 10 games this season before going down with an injury; if he can bring that same sort of production to South Bend, it'll go a long way to rebuilding this defense.

2. S Xavier Watts

Replacement: Jalen Stroman

Speaking of rebuilding the defense: Arguably no player was more valuable on that side of the ball for the Irish than Watts, especially after Notre Dame lost standout cornerback Benjamin Morrison to a seaosn-ending injury. Watts did a little bit of everything, patrolling center field or crashing down in run support or locking up in man coverage with backs, tight ends and slot receivers, and he did just about all of it at an elite level.

Players with that sort of skill set don't exactly grow on trees, and Notre Dame will certainly miss Watts' presence in the secondary. But the Irish return young corners Christian Gray and Leonard Moore, and Freeman snagged Stroman out of the portal from Virginia Tech. After starting eight games in 2023, it seemed like Stroman was set for a breakout year in 2024, but a shoulder injury in the season-opener cut that short. He was on an NFL track prior to that, and he has a ton to gain with a big season next fall. Penalties and over-aggression have been an issue at times, but he's shown flashes of the same sort of versatility that Watts brought to the table.

1. QB Riley Leonard

Replacement: Steve Angeli

Of course, everything starts at the most important position on the field, where Notre Dame is once again facing turnover as a big-name transfer moves on. Both Leonard and Sam Hartman turned out to be success stories in South Bend, but this time Freeman won't be turning to the portal: After years of waiting, it's finally Angeli's turn.

A three-star recruit out of New Jersey powerhouse Bergen Catholic back in 2022, Angeli has stuck it out with the Irish, and now he's set to be rewarded with a clear shot at the starting job next season. And based on what we've seen in limited action, he sure looks ready: Angeli completed two-thirds of his passes for 268 yards and three scores this year, most memorably coming off the bench to lead a scoring drive after Leonard sustained an injury during the CFP semifinal against Penn State. Angeli isn't nearly Leonard's equal as a rusher, but he's far more advanced as a passer, and he'll have plenty of talent around him to work with. If he hits the ground running, this could be one of the best offenses in the country in 2025.