Notre Dame added Keon Keeley, an edge defender from Alabama, via the transfer portal, bringing the physically gifted defensive end back into the Irish program after failing to sign the one-time Irish commit out of high school. Keeley arrives in South Bend with two years of eligibility remaining after spending his early college career in Tuscaloosa, where he developed inside the Crimson Tide’s deep and competitive defensive line room. Keeley was Notre Dame’s third addition of the day.
The move reunites Notre Dame with a player it once viewed as a cornerstone of its defensive future — and immediately adds a rare combination of size, athleticism, and upside to the Irish defensive line heading into 2026.