Notre Dame Football: Irish are the favorite for key transfer

Akayleb Evans is one of the most coveted players still available in the transfer portal but one expert believes Notre Dame football is going to win his commitment. 

The Notre Dame football program has gotten a lot of good news on the recruiting trail recently and according to one college football expert, more could be on the way.

Notre Dame is one of many programs that has been after cornerback Akayleb Evans out of Tulsa. Evans took a visit to Texas before visiting the Fighting Irish and while the Longhorns might have been the favorite going in, they weren’t after Evans visited South Bend.

Here’s what Tom Loy of 247 sports reported following his visit:

"“Even before his visits started, many people believed he would end up back in the Lone Star State if things went as expected. However, the feeling from those connected at Notre Dame is that things have changed. No, he has not made a commitment to the Fighting Irish, not even a silent one. However, in talking to sources, the Notre Dame staff believes strongly that they have the edge for Evans.”"

Not only does the Notre Dame football staff believe it has the edge for the coveted defensive back, so does Mike Farrell of Rivals who wrote it was a fact that Evans would join the Irish:

"“To me, it’s down to Notre Dame and Missouri and despite Mizzou having his former coach, Aaron Fletcher, on staff Notre Dame is obviously hard to beat in recruiting and offers a bigger stage for Evans, who seems hungry to prove himself at the highest level. That and academics will allow the Irish to win this battle.”"

Farrell believes that Missouri is the greatest threat for Evans and if that’s the case, you can see why he would give the edge to Notre Dame, which by all accounts, did an exceptional job on his visit to South Bend.

What kind of impact could Evans make at Notre Dame?

Evans was just a two-star recruit coming out of high school, but he’s ranked 45th on the list of top-100 transfers put together by 247 sports.

Evans recorded 47 tackles and had six passes defended over his first two seasons with Tulsa, then notched 20 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and broke up three passes last season.

While he doesn’t have an interception to his credit, Evans is a guy with NFL draft potential, especially at 6-foot-2, and would be another solid addition from the transfer portal for the Irish.

Notre Dame football added Cain Madden, an offensive guard and an All-American from Marshall last week, as well as former Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan earlier this offseason.

If Evans joins the fold as Farrell predicts, it could give Notre Dame football three potential starters from the transfer portal as the Irish try to get back to the College Football Playoff.