Why Notre Dame WR Malachi Fields is one of the top newcomers in college football in 2025 per ESPN

ESPN recently ranked the top newcomers for the outlet’s top 25 college football teams in 2025. Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields, formerly of Virginia, is the Fighting Irish’s representative as ESPN’s preseason No. 7 team in the country.

The idea is whoever starts for Notre Dame at quarterback, it’ll be a first-time starter. Fields is instantly the Fighting Irish’s most experienced wideout, a fifth-year player who has registered 800-plus receiving yards in each of the last two seasons.

“With Steve Angeli‘s transfer to Syracuse, all signs point to coach Marcus Freeman handing his offense over to redshirt freshman CJ Carr — a big ask for an unproven young quarterback in a program that reached the national title game last year,” ESPN’s Billy Tucker wrote. “Adding a player like Fields will take some pressure off Carr.

“Fields is a massive target and contested-catch specialist at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds who was plenty effective at Virginia despite topsy-turvy quarterback play. He finished eighth in the ACC with 808 receiving yards on 55 catches, nearly mirroring his 2023 production. Fields was also a team captain at Virginia and is well-equipped to step into the spotlight for the Fighting Irish in his final year of eligibility.”

Fields, who did not go through spring workouts and practices with the Fighting Irish because he was still enrolled at Virginia, should be a lock to start at the boundary receiver spot. Likely co-starters are juniors Jaden Greathouse in the slot and Jordan Faison in the field.

Greathouse made a case in Notre Dame’s final two games of the College Football Playoff for why he might end up being the team’s top target in 2025. He 13 catches, 233 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Orange Bowl against Penn State and in the national championship game against Ohio State.

In terms of what’s been accomplished over the course of their entire careers, though, Fields’ résumé is undeniably more fulfilled than that of Greathouse. Greathouse has about as many receiving yards in his first two seasons (857) as Fields had last year alone.

Still, Fields only had 230 receiving yards through his first two collegiate seasons. Greathouse is on a path toward a big-time national arrival as a junior. But for who they are right now, and considering the quarterback they’ll be playing with, Fields is the best guess for who ends up being Notre Dame’s WR1.

“Freeman has been selective in the transfer portal, but there are big plans for Fields in 2025,” Tucker wrote. “He should break out and actually surpass his production at Virginia given his superior surrounding cast at Notre Dame.

“Fields is an immediate upgrade over Notre Dame’s returning receivers, as well as the departing duo of Jayden Thomas (Transferred to Virginia) and Beaux Collins (New York Giants). Fields is a proven receiver with all the physical attributes to help Carr acclimate quickly as a rookie quarterback, serving as a big-bodied, athletic target on the outside. Fields is arguably a sharper route runner and a more durable, consistent outside threat than Collins, who averaged 12 yards per catch last year.”

ESPN’s top college football newcomers for 2025 preseason ranked teams

1. Wide receiver Trebor Pena, Penn State
2. Running back Gideon Davidson, Clemson
3. Tight end Jack Endries, Texas
4. Wide receiver Zachariah Branch, Georgia
5. Tight end Max Klare, Ohio State
6. Defensive end Patrick Payton, LSU
7. Wide receiver Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
8. Wide receiver Dakorien Moore, Oregon
9. Wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks, Alabama
10. Defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa, BYU
11. Wide receiver Hudson Clement, Illinois
12. Running back Kanye Udoh, Arizona State
13. Center Boaz Stanley, South Carolina
14. Wide receiver Chase Sowell, Iowa State
15. Wide receiver Link Rhodes, SMU
16. Defensive end David Bailey, Texas Tech
17. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
18. Wide receiver Jaron Tibbs, Kansas State
19. Wide receiver Dallas Wilson, Florida
20. Quarterback Bryce Underwood, Michigan
21. Cornerback Xavier Lucas, Miami
22. Quarterback Miller Moss, Louisville
23. Wide receiver KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
24. Defensive end De’Shawn Womack, Ole Miss
25. Quarterback John Mateer, Washington State