Breaking: Irish flip running back Nolan James from Boston College

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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2025 Notre Dame Football Commits (24)

2025 Notre Dame Football Scholarship Chart

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