On the heels of the national championship loss, Notre Dame Fighting Irish WR Jayden Thomas entered the transfer portal. Where does he play in 2025?
Where Will Jayden Thomas Transfer?
Originally, Thomas arrived in South Bend as a three-star recruit from Metro Atlanta. He hoped to secure the top receiver spot and lead the Fighting Irish back to glory. Part of that dream became reality. The Irish regained much of their lost luster with a championship game appearance.
Yet, in all honesty, Thomas never truly figured into that process. Never truly rising above a role as the third, fourth, and fifth option, Thomas did not evolve into a superstar. In tallying just 64 catches in 43 games, the senior wideout left metaphorical meat on the bone. On3’s Pete Nakos broke the story of Thomas’ transfer.
Reading the writing on the wall, Thomas decided that his career needs to continue else. After all, the Irish signed wideouts Will Pauling (Wisconsin) and Malachi Fields (Virginia) from the portal, and they would start over Thomas. So, which teams does Thomas fit the most?
Penn State Nittany Lions
Presumed 2025 starters and recent Penn State Nittany Lions mainstays Harrison Wallace and Omari Evans entered the portal, leaving head coach James Franklin’s cupboard rather bare. Additionally, Wydeek Collier, a 2025 recruit heavily pursued by Penn State, ended up with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
MORE: 5 WRs Penn State Could Target in the Transfer Portal
Thomas could step in immediately, giving Drew Allar a veteran wideout during his final season in Happy Valley. Furthermore, the prospective transfer knows coach Franklin and his staff well, as PSU offered him as a high school senior.
LSU Tigers
When Thomas did not choose Penn State, he elected to play for Brian Kelly, then the Notre Dame head coach. While Thomas did not fare well within Kelly’s offense, he thought enough of the coach to commit.
Kelly started feeling the heat of expectations over the last couple of seasons, and he needs impact players to win now with the LSU Tigers. Plus, competing in a pass-happy scheme will improve Thomas’s draft perception. Who knows, maybe LSU can capitalize on a second transfer named Jayden. The first one worked well (QB Jayden Daniels).
Miami Hurricanes
Xavier Restrepo heads for the NFL, as quarterback Carson Beck walks into Coral Gables. Beck, often the target of pointed criticism and critique bolted Athens in search of NIL cash and the opportunity to emulate Cam Ward.
Ward left Washington State, enjoyed the playmaking of Miami wideouts, and turned himself from a potential second-round pick to a top QB prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. With that motivation, Thomas can slide on the outside or even the slot and eclipse career-highs in various categories.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Quiet as kept, Brent Key continues to assemble not only a quality program, but one that evolved into a destination for recruits and transfers alike. 247Sports ranked Georgia Tech as the 19th best recruiting class in 2025.
KEEP READING: With Key Players Returning, Is Penn State a Top-5 Team in 2025?
This selection envisions Thomas going back home to Atlanta, playing near family and friends. Despite the Yellow Jackets excelling in recruiting wideouts, someone with Thomas’ experience and ability to separate could climb to the top of the list.
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes look to continue what shapes up to be an offensive renaissance. Bringing in FCS transfer QB Mark Gronowski suggests that the team slid into the immediate win category.
Iowa, for years, boasted an elite defense but ineffective offense. Now, the offense looks to finally do its fair share, and a veteran wideout with cold weather experience could pay off.
Bottom Line
Despite not posting stellar numbers at Notre Dame, Thomas will command interest from multiple FBS schools, many — if not all — in the Power Four. For his end, Thomas can show the college football world what he offers, provided he picks the right school and scheme.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.
