Kennedy Urlacher came to Notre Dame with a ton of hype.
Sure, he was “only” a three-star recruit, ranked as the No. 61 safety in the 2024 class according to the 247Sports Composite. Most recruiting fanatics don’t jump for joy when a three-star commits to their school, though there always is a bit of intrigue, and there’s always potential. Plenty of “lesser-ranked” recruits have gone on to become stars.
That was perhaps the intrigue with Urlacher, especially considering the fact that his father, Brian Urlacher, is known as one of the greatest linebackers of all time.
The younger Urlacher was a true freshman for Notre Dame during the Fighting Irish’s run to the national championship, where they ultimately lost to Ohio State, but he did contribute a bit. He was a special-teams player throughout the 2024 season. He notched 12 tackles (seven solo) and one pass defended.
That’s not a huge role, but again, he was a true freshman. Even so, it’s being reported that Urlacher is hitting the transfer portal in search of a new opportunity.



