December 14, 2024
nolan j

On Monday, New Jersey running back Nolan James switched his pledge from the Boston College Eagles to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The 5’11” 200-pounder from DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, New Jersey, is rated as a 3-Star prospect overall, but as we’ve seen over the years, these Jersey running backs are unique.

James committed to Boston College in December of last year, and he also had offers from the Syracuse Orange, Duke Blue Devils, Minnesota Gophers, and Virginia Cavaliers.

From ISD’s Jamie Uyeyama:

I think James can develop into a very effective zone runner and the more I have watched him, the more he reminds of former LSU RB Derrius Guice. The Irish played against him in the 2017 Citrus Bowl and he was someone who ran hard through contact and had the feet and vision to make defenders miss once he broke through the line.

I think Notre Dame’s staff did a great job of going after another underrated talent who could end up being a steal.

James is the 24th pledge in Notre Dame’s 2025 football recruiting class. While his rating isn’t very impressive, there is something unique about these running backs from New Jersey’s Catholic schools. There’s nothing wrong with a prospect who requires a few years of coaching… it’s called program development, and James has the tools to help Notre Dame win football games in the future.

 

One Of Don Bosco's Star Freshmen: Nolan James Jr – Whoa! Sports World

2025 Notre Dame Football Commits (24)

POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE On3 On3 Consensus COMMIT DATE
DL Davion Dixon FL 6’2″ 290 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 04/21/23
RB Justin Thurman FL 6’0″ 180 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/01/23
DL Joseph Reiff IL 6’5″ 230 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 09/24/23
TE James Flanigan WI 6’5″ 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/21/23
LB Dominik Hulak IL 6’3″ 225 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/10/23
CB Cree Thomas AZ 6’1″ 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/21/23
OL Will Black CT 6’7″ 295 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/10/23
EDGE Christopher Burgess IL 6’4″ 240 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 01/06/24
S Ethan Long CT 6’2″ 185 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 01/08/24
LB Ko’o Kia HI 6’2″ 210 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 01/15/24
OL Owen Strebig WI 6’8″ 295 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 02/08/24
WR Elijah Burress NJ 6’1″ 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 02/10/24
OL Matty Augustine CT 6’7″ 290 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 02/20/24
WR Jerome Bettis Jr. GA 6’3″ 185 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 03/17/24
LB Anthony Sacca PA 6’4″ 230 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 03/30/24
CB Dallas Golden FL 6’0″ 175 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 04/28/24
DL Gordy Sulfsted OH 6’5″ 235 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/19/24
CB Mark Zachery IN 6’0″ 160 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/25/24
S JaDon Blair NC 6’4″ 200 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/05/24
S Brandon Logan IN 6’1″ 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/10/24
ATH Antavious Richardson GA 6’2″ 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/01/24
OL Cameron Herron IN 6’3″ 275 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/14/24
QB Blake Hebert CT 6’3″ 215 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/14/24
RB Nolan James NJ 5’11” 200 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/11/24

With the transfer portal, it’s difficult to predict how the roster will appear next year. The Irish now have seven running backs for 2025, but that will most likely change in the coming months. Regardless, the Irish’s running back room is filled with a wide range of ability that can help them win a lot of games.

2025 Notre Dame Football Scholarship Chart

Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th/6th Year
Quarterback Blake Hebert C.J. Carr Kenny Minchey Steve Angeli
Running Back Justin Thurman, Nolan James Aneyas Williams, Kedren Young Jerimiyah Love Jadarian Price, Gi’Bran Payne
Tight End James Flanigan Jack Larsen Cooper Flanagan Eli Raridon Mitchell Evans, Kevin Bauman, Davis Sherwood
Wide Receiver Elijah Burress, Jerome Bettis Jr., Antavious Richardson Cam Williams, Micah Gilbert, Logan Saldate Jaden Greathouse, Kaleb Smith, Jordan Faison Deion Colzie
Center Ashton Craig
Guard Cameron Herron Sam Pendleton, Joe Otting, Chris Terek Billy Schrauth Rocco Spindler, Pat Coogan
Tackle Will Black, Owen Strebig, Matty Augustine Peter Jones, Anthonie Knapp, Styles Prescod, Guerby Lambert Sullivan Absher, Charles Jagusah Ty Chan, Aamil Wagner
Defensive Tackle Joseph Reiff, Davion Dixon Sean Sevillano Brenan Vernon, Devan Houstan Donovan Hinish Gabe Rubio, Jason Onye
Defensive End Christopher Burgess, Gordy Sulfsted Cole Mullins, Bryce Young, Loghan Thomas Boubacar Traore, Armel Mukam Joshua Burnham, Aiden Gobaira, Junior Tuihalamaka Kahanu Kia
Linebacker Dominik Hulak, Ko’o Kia, Anthony Sacca Teddy Rezac, Bodie Kahoun, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa Drayk Bowen, Preston Zinter, Jaiden Ausberry Jaylen Sneed
Safety Ethan Long, JaDon Blair, Brandon Logan Kennedy Urlacher, Taebron Bennie-Powell, Brauntae Johnson Adon Shuler, Ben Minich, Luke Talich
Cornerback Cree Thomas, Dallas Golden, Mark Zachery Karson Hobbs, Leonard Moore Christian Gray Benjamin Morrison Chance Tucker
Specialists Bryce McFerson (P)
Totals 24/85 (24) 37/85 (23) 59/85 (22) 74/85 (15) 84/85 (10)

 

 

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