Notre Dame LB Anthony Sacca enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Notre Dame freshman linebacker Anthony Sacca has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, On3 college football insider Pete Nakos reported on Wednesday. Sacca has four years of eligibility remaining after redshirting during the 2025 season.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Sacca is the second Irish linebacker to depart the program on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Nakos reported that redshirt freshman Bodie Kahoun will also be seeking a transfer.

Sacca was one of five first-year players who did not appear in a game for Notre Dame last season. Two of the four others, defensive lineman Dominik Hulak and defensive back Brandon Logan, were not in uniform to end the season. The other two were quarterback Blake Hebert and wide receiver Scrap Richardson.

A product of Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep School, Sacca was one of 25 recruits to sign with Notre Dame in the 2025 cycle. Two others from the class have also entered the transfer portal this offseason: safety JaDon Blair and cornerback Cree Thomas. On Tuesday, Blair committed to continue his college career at Missouri.

According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, Sacca was a four-star prospect who ranked as the No. 344 overall player, No. 34 linebacker nationally and No. 9 prospect in Pennsylvania. In high school, Sacca held scholarship offers from 21 other Power Four programs, but he ultimately chose the Irish over Alabama, Duke, Ohio State and Wisconsin.

Sacca is the son of former Penn State quarterback Tony Sacca. He was recruited to Notre Dame by the elder Sacca’s teammate at Penn State, former Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden. However, the younger Sacca never got to play for Golden because he left the program after the 2024 season. The other Irish coach heavily involved in Sacca’s recruitment, linebackers coach Max Bullough, departed from Notre Dame for Michigan State.

Now, Sacca is moving on from Notre Dame, too.

Which other Notre Dame players have also entered the NCAA Transfer Portal?

In addition to Sacca, Blair, Kahoun and Thomas, 13 other Notre Dame players have entered the transfer portal since it opened Jan. 2. Kahoun has three years of eligibility remaining, while Blair and Thomas both have four.

• QB Kenny Minchey, two years of eligibility remaining (signed with Kentucky)
• Walk-on QB Anthony Rezac, three years of eligibility remaining (committed to South Dakota State)
• RB Gi’Brian Payne, one year of eligibility remaining (signed with Cincinnati)
• Walk-on WR Leo Scheidler, one year of eligibility remaining
• WR KK Smith, two years of eligibility remaining
• Walk-on WR Alex Whitman, two years of eligibility remaining
• DL Joshua Burnham, one year of eligibility remaining (committed to Indiana)
• DL Armel Mukam, two years of eligibility remaining
• EDGE Preston Zinter, two years of eligibility remaining
• CB Karson Hobbs, two years of eligibility remaining
• CB Chance Tucker, one year of eligibility remaining
• S Taebron Bennie-Powell, three years of eligibility remaining
• S Ben Minich, two years of eligibility remaining