Top running back prospect Javian Osborne has chosen Notre Dame over Michigan, surprising some who wondered about his decision. Perhaps not why Osborne chose the Irish, but perhaps why he did not choose the Wolverines.
Javian Osborne Stuns by Choosing Notre Dame Over Michigan in Recruiting Twist
Notre Dame added to their formidable recruiting class for the 2025 season when Osborne committed on Saturday, May 3.
“When you think of Notre Dame, it starts with the football program of course but then it’s the life after football,” said the four-star recruit from Forney, Texas in an interview with Blue & Gold, adding: “The Notre Dame degree holds a lot of weight. It doesn’t get any better than Notre Dame.”
At 5’9″ and 190 pounds, Osborne ranked No. 8 in ESPN’s national list of high school running backs. He praised the school’s tradition of producing stellar backs and linemen.
“They’re known for running the ball, and Notre Dame is O‑line U,” Osborne said. “They have a lot of great guys who went there and went on to the NFL. What running back wouldn’t want to be part of a program that breeds offensive linemen?”
Observers were surprised, as Michigan and Notre Dame were Osborne’s final choices. While it’s clear Jeremiyah Love is the No. 1 back in the backfield with the Irish, the depth behind Love is also deep.
He joins a backfield rotation that already includes Jadarian Price, Aneyas Williams and Kedren Young—who played at Lufkin High School in Texas and faced Osborne’s Forney squad his freshman and sophomore years.
Some speculation centered on the potential value of an NIL deal.
“I’ve heard a lot of people say it, but you have to go where your heart is,” Osborne said. “At the end of the day, all this NIL stuff can’t help you when it’s fourth‑and‑goal and you have to score. You have to want to be there.”
KEEP READING: 4-Star LB Jakobe Clapper Commits to Notre Dame
“I fell in love with the school and the program.”
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