Notre Dame may be on the verge of seeing another dual-sport name break through on the football side, and this one already has a decorated résumé in lacrosse.
Matt Jeffery has done plenty to stand out with the Irish lacrosse team. He was the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2025, then followed that with All-American recognition and All-ACC honors this past season as Notre Dame finished as NCAA runners-up. On the football roster, though, he’s been more of a mystery so far - a third-year player who has spent real time on the field but still hasn’t had a full breakout moment.
That could be changing.
On3’s Jack Soble posted a note on social media about the 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver, saying that “it’s time for everyone … to stop sleeping on Matt Jeffery.” It’s a strong statement, but there’s at least a path for it to make sense. Jeffery has only one career catch, a 37-yard grab against Arkansas last fall, yet the receiver room has enough openings that he can still work his way into a role.
Jordan Faison is the one clear-known commodity from the dual-sport pipeline, but Notre Dame has plenty of other receivers battling for spots as well. Micah Gilbert, Jaden Greathouse, Quincy Porter, Mylan Graham, Devin Fitzgerald and others are all trying to earn places on the two-deep. Jeffery now looks like he belongs in that mix, and for Notre Dame, that’s a promising development.
In Other News...
Indiana Gets Pulled Into A Notre Dame Title Hype Debate
Kirk Herbstreit is already looking well beyond the coming season, and he has put Notre Dame squarely in the national title conversation for 2026. The ESPN analyst pointed to the Irishs returning talent and quarterback CJ Carr as the reasons he believes the roster has the kind of foundation that can carry a championship run, while also recognizing that teams such as Miami and Indiana will be part of the wider debate.
For Notre Dame, the appeal is familiar and the caution is obvious. The program has lived through plenty of preseason buzz before, only to come up short when the games mattered most, but this group feels different under Marcus Freeman because of the balance of talent and coaching around Carr. Herbstreits view is not the final word, of course, but it is another sign that the Irish are being discussed as more than a usual early-season favorite, even if the real proof will have to wait. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Carr Is Giving Notre Dame Fans Real Reason To Dream
CJ Carr is heading into Notre Dames 2026 fall camp with a different kind of weight on his shoulders now. The Saline, Michigan native is no longer just the promising young quarterback in the room. After a strong 2025 season, hes taking on more leadership responsibilities, and the confidence he gained last fall seems to be carrying into this next stretch for the Irish.
Carr has pointed to the chemistry built across the roster and the experience the team picked up a year ago as key reasons he feels good about where the offense is headed. He also likes the talent around him and the hunger to clean up what fell short last season, which makes this a meaningful camp for Notre Dame even before the pads come on. Theres a sense that the Irish are expecting more, and Carr is right in the middle of why. [Read more 🡒]