Notre Dame cornerback Karson Hobbs to enter NCAA transfer portal

Notre Dame cornerback Karson Hobbs will enter the transfer portal when it opens Jan. 2. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Blue & Gold‘s Mike Singer and Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett reported Hobbs’ intention to enter the portal on Saturday evening.

Hobbs, an uber-athletic defensive back from Cincinnati, Ohio, played significant snaps at nickel back in Notre Dame’s first two games but ultimately fell out of the picture. In two games — including one start, in place of an injured DeVonta Smith — Hobbs allowed 9 receptions on 17 targets for 157 yards and a touchdown in losses to Miami and Texas A&M.

The next week, Hobbs was replaced at nickel back by true freshman Dallas Golden, who was next in line when Smith couldn’t go for the rest of the season. Hobbs played just 31 defensive snaps from Weeks 4-14, all at the tail end of blowouts. He finished the season with 5 tackles, as well as an interception on Oct. 11 against NC State.

With Notre Dame’s cornerback room growing more crowded every year, Hobbs’ once-promising career in South Bend is over. His youth, recruiting pedigree, versatility and athleticism will make him an attractive option for teams in need of cornerback help this offseason.

Hobbs committed to Notre Dame as the No. 592 player in the On3 Industry Ranking, a consensus three-star prospect. He burned his redshirt as a backup in 2024, playing in nine games, and entered 2025 with hopes of sticking in the cornerback rotation or even starting. Unfortunately for the Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller standout it did not work out that way.

With Hobbs and redshirt sophomore Ben Minich hitting the portal, Golden is Notre Dame’s only returning player with experience at nickel. The Irish could also bring in a graduate transfer at the position, which they have done in each of the past three seasons (Smith in 2025, Jordan Clark in 2024 and Thomas Harper in 2023). Their freshman class also includes Nick Reddish, who fits best at nickel, and five-star prospect Joey O’Brien, who can help in certain packages if need be.

At cornerback, Notre Dame brings back one returning starter in Leonard Moore and potentially another in Christian Gray, if he doesn’t enter the 2026 NFL Draft. Golden and will Mark Zackery IV return as backups with a year of playing experience, while Khary Adams and Ayden Pouncey are talented freshmen who could play right away.