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Mukam Returns to Notre Dame, Boosting Defensive Line
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Notre Dame Football Receives Boost as Defensive Tackle Armel Mukam Decides to Stay
Notre Dame football gained a significant advantage this weekend when defensive tackle Armel Mukam chose to remain with the Irish, reversing his decision to enter the transfer portal. The six-foot-three, three hundred five-pound lineman from Quebec, Canada, had visited Georgia Tech and Virginia but opted to stay for his final two years of eligibility after the hiring of new defensive line coach Charlie Partridge.
Mukam, a three-star recruit from the 2023 class, showed promise late last season and is expected to play a bigger role in 2026 following heavy losses on the interior line. His decision to stay comes as a relief to fans, as he played fifty-four of his sixty-nine defensive snaps over the final four games of the 2025 season.
Despite the departure of eighteen players, including four walk-ons, during the fifteen-day portal window, Mukams stay provides some stability for the Irish as they rebuild their defense. Other uncommitted players like defensive end Preston Zinter and wideout Scrap Richardson remain, but Mukams decision is a positive sign for the team.
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