Notre Dame Football's 2025 Roster Just Got Stronger—Here’s How

A key member of the 2024 Notre Dame defense will return from injury and play for the Fighting Irish next year

Sep 14, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Jordan Botelho (12) is carted off the field with an apparent injury during the second quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Notre Dame football received huge news for the 2025 season on Monday when head coach Marcus Freeman announced edge defender Jordan Botelho will return to the Fighting Irish.

Botelho was injured in Week 3 at Purdue and announced as being done for the season with a leg injury. He had a fantastic start to the 2024 season before suffering the injury as he had recorded 12 tackles and a sack through the first two-and-a-half games of 2024.

Botelho will be coming off a knee injury but at the time he suffered it was playing as well as just about anyone on Notre Dame's defense. There is no guarantee he'll be back to 100% by next fall but there is a guarantee that Notre Dame is better having him back for another year than not.

Jordan Botelho Notre Dame Player Profile

Jordan Botelho was in his fifth season at Notre Dame when he suffered the injury against Purdue.

The graduate-senior from Honolulu checks in at 6-3, 250-pounds. He has recorded 77 tackles, 11.5 sacks, and 15 tackles for loss since the 2020 season for the Fighting Irish.

Check out some of Botelho's best highlights at Notre Dame below.

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