According to multiple reports, Notre Dame has its first transfer addition of the 2025 cycle including Pete Nakos from On3: Former Alabama defensive lineman DeVonta Smithwho still has one year of eligibility left.

Smith played the “Husky” position for the Crimson Tide, which means the nickel back position for the Irish. He has reportedly signed his letter of intent binding him to Notre Dame.

Smith started all 12 games for Alabama in 2024, his first year as a full-time defensive player. According to Pro Football Focus, he played 323 of his 421 snaps in the slot. Smith finished the season with 30 tackles, a forced fumble and 5 passes defended before entering the transfer portal on Saturday.

He excels in coverage and allowed 19 receptions on 29 targets for 123 yards (4.2 yards per attempt) and zero touchdowns last season. Quarterbacks who targeted Smith earned a passer rating of 74.4.

“He’s been great here, especially this fall when he’s been healthy,” Alabama’s head coach said Kalen DeBoer said during fall camp. “He kind of came back this spring and in the summer too. He brings great speed. And it has a powerful engine. I have a big wish, let’s call it. Great desire to be great.”

Smith was a key contributor on special teams as a freshman in 2021 and a sophomore in 2022 at Alabama before missing most of his junior season in 2023 due to injury.

“His story, I think, is very well known throughout the team,” DeBoer said. “With some of these injuries he’s had. And it’s just fun to be around people who, like him, have continued to stay the course. But you know, he’s really in that safety room, that Husky position, which is our nickel position. He did a great job there. He can line up and play man-to-man, but also get up off the edge and stop the run. So it’s a really important position in our defense.”

The Cincinnati native was a high school teammate of Notre Dame’s junior running back Gi’Bran Payne is the No. 89 transfer cornerback and No. 14 portal cornerback according to On3 Industry Rankings. Coming out of high school, Smith was a four-star prospect and On3’s No. 133 player in the country.

Smith will be the third Notre Dame graduate to earn the nickel back in as many years Thomas Harper in 2023 and Jordan Clark in 2024. Harper went undrafted last April but found a home on the Las Vegas Raiders’ active roster. Clark was one of the best Irish defenders this year and should get his chance in the NFL as well.

Notre Dame will face Indiana in the first round of the College Football Playoff, which begins Friday at 8 p.m. ET in South Bend.