Northwestern All-American safety Brandon Joseph has announced that he will transfer to Notre Dame after three years with the Wildcats, the veteran defender posted on his Twitter account. Joseph was tabbed as one of the top 10 available transfers and the best safety on the board, according to 247Sports' transfer portal rankings.
"Coming to Notre Dame is a Legacy commitment for me," wrote Joseph. "The history of this program and the players who have worn this uniform are held to the highest standards in both football and education. I am honored to be a part of this next chapter in Notre Dame football history. For me and my family, Notre Dame presents an opportunity to continue my education at one of the best universities in the world, along with a chance to compete for a national championship."
Joseph earned All-America honors in 2020 during a standout season in which the Wildcats went 7-2 and earned a Big Ten West division championship. The College Station, Texas, native nabbed six interceptions in his first year as a starter and was named a Preseason All-American heading into 2021 by CBS Sports.
After losing the vast majority of its production, Northwestern fell from No. 22 to No. 101 in total defense in 2021, and Joseph was largely overlooked for individual honors. Still, Joseph accumulated 136 tackles, 13 passes defended and nine interceptions in three seasons in Evanston.
At Notre Dame, Joseph steps in immediately as a game-changing transfer as first-year head coach Marcus Freeman takes the reins. The transfer will be asked to step in for legendary safety Kyle Hamilton, who also earned All-America honors from multiple outlets despite missing much of the 2021 season with a knee injury. Hamilton is projected as a top-10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and will be the fourth defensive back drafted from Notre Dame in the past four seasons.
The Fighting Irish went 11-2 with a Fiesta Bowl berth and finished No. 5 in the final College Football Playoff rankings. Freeman was promoted from defensive coordinator after Brian Kelly left for LSU.
