Notre Dame’s offseason has been relatively quiet as natural attrition has trimmed the roster, but on Tuesday the Fighting Irish took a hit on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive end Joshua Burnham announced he plans to enter the Transfer Portal when it opens on January 2. He will have one year of eligibility left.
It’s not a shocking move for those who follow ISD closely, but it nonetheless hurts Notre Dame’s depth heading into the 2026 season.
Burnham has appeared in 40 career games for the Irish and has tallied 65 career tackles, 17 tackles for loss and six sacks.
2024 was Burnham’s best year as he totaled 30 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, while forcing and recovering one fumble.
The Michigan native was primed for a breakout 2025, but a nagging injury slowed him early in the season. He found his footing down the stretch, finishing the year with 16 tackles and three sacks, showing flashes of the player Notre Dame expected heading into the fall.
Why would Burnham leave?
Burnham is likely searching for a chance to become a true three-down player, which was going to be difficult at Notre Dame. With just one year of eligibility remaining, prioritizing his future makes sense.
Notre Dame often brought in Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and Jaylen Sneed to rush off the edge, while the Irish return one of the best pass rushers in the country heading into 2026 in Boubabar Traore.
The Irish depth will suffer, but there is talent on the roster that can be developed, including junior Loghan Thomas and then you have two very talented early enrollees in Rodney Dunham and Ebenezer Ewetade arriving in two weeks.
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