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Notre Dame contacts BYU transfer wide receiver/All-American kickoff returner

IMG_7504by:Jack Soble•04/21/25•

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BYU transfer WR, KR Keelan Marion
BYU transfer wide receiver/kickoff returner Keelan Marion. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Notre Dame has contacted BYU transfer wide receiver/kickoff returner Keelan Marion.

Marion entered the transfer portal on Saturday. He has not reported an offer from Notre Dame, but the Irish are among the many schools he’s heard from since he became available. He has also heard from Colorado, Miami, Penn State, Oklahoma, USC, Baylor, Maryland, North Carolina State, Florida State, Tennessee, Arizona State, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, SMU, Syracuse, Kentucky, UCLA and Mississippi State.

Although they weren’t on his “heard from” graphic, Marion — who began his career at UConn — has also reported offers from Wisconsin, West Virginia and Arkansas.

Marian is followed on social media by Notre Dame director of scouting Matt Jansen and director of player personnel Jourdan Blake, indicating some level of interest from the Irish.

Wide receiver is not necessarily a need for Notre Dame, but Marion, who stands 6-foot, 195 pounds, is one of the best kickoff returners in college football. He was named a first-team All-American as a return specialist by Walter Camp, the FWAA, Pro Football Focus, CBS Sports and Phil Steele. The Sporting News and College Football Network named him a second-team All-American.

As a wideout, Marion caught 24 passes for 346 yards and a touchdown for BYU in 2024. But as a kickoff returner, he brought back 18 kicks for 472 yards (26.2 yards per return) and 2 touchdowns.

If Notre Dame were to acquire Marion, his addition would be eerily similar to Jayden Harrison‘s in 2024. Harrison put up modest receiving numbers at Marshall but came to South Bend with All-American kickoff returning pedigree. The Irish coveted Harrison knowing his game-breaking kickoff return skills could make a massive difference in December and January, and whatever they got from him as a wideout would be a bonus.

That, of course, is exactly what happened. Harrison took the second-half kickoff of the Sugar Bowl 98 yards for a touchdown and gave Notre Dame a 17-point lead over Georgia. The Bulldogs ultimately could never recover, and the Irish won 23-10.

After the Blue-Gold Game on April 12, head coach Marcus Freeman said the Irish were not “actively seeking” to add to their roster. However, he qualified that statement by adding, “If something comes to our attention and we see [it] adds value to our roster and our program, then we have to have a conversation about it.”

With Harrison gone, Marion entering the portal might have piqued Notre Dame’s interest. Time will tell if it goes anywhere beyond that.

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