Notre Dame Commit Profile: Running Back Justin Thurman
Notre Dame landed a commitment from one of the most explosive running backs in the 2025 when Justin Thurman pledged to the Irish. Let's take a look at the Notre Dame commit.
JUSTIN THURMAN PROFILE
Hometown/High School: Tampa, Fla./Jesuit
Height/Weight: 6-0, 185
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 250 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Player Comp: Bryce Love, Stanford
2023 Stats: 169 att., 812 yards, 4.8 YPC, 14 TD - 22 rec., 198 yards, 3 TD
Recruited By: Deland McCullough
Offers: Notre Dame, Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Iowa, Louisville, NC State, Purdue, Kansas State, UCF, Indiana, Kansas, Vanderbilt, Rutgers
RECRUITING RANKINGS
247Sports: 4-star - No. 229 overall - No. 21 RB
ESPN: 4-star - No. 260 overall - No. 25 RB
Rivals: 4-star - No. 26 RB
On3: 3-star - No. 27 RB
On3 Consensus: 4-star - No. 261 overall - No. 24 RB
247Sports Composite: 4-star - No. 281 overall - No. 27 RB
FILM ANALYSIS
The first thing that you notice when you pop on Thurman's film is speed, and it's big time speed. Thurman has a personal best 100-meter dash time of 10.84, which is slightly better than the sophomore best of former Notre Dame speedster Braden Lenzy. If I'm looking for a comparison for Thurman from a speed standpoint it would be Lenzy, although Thurman is bigger and has a slightly better start than the former Irish burner.
Thurman shows the kind of first step acceleration you need at running back if you're going to be a home run hitter. He gets through the hole quickly, and when he gets to the second level his elite acceleration allows him to quickly turn the smallest crease into a long run. During his summer camp performance at Notre Dame, Thurman also showed outstanding explosiveness during drills, which tracks with a player with his first step burst. His balance allows him to work through arm tackles with ease and continue charging forward.
His running style suits a player with his speed, as Thurman likes to get vertical. He is a slasher type of back that wants to cut and get downhill and through the hole. Thurman isn't a guy that spends a lot of time juking defenders, which I like. He can make quick cuts in space, but he's a get on your track, make your read and then quickly plant and get vertical type of back.
I like how physical Thurman is for his age, and you see that as a running back and during his snaps on defense. He still has a lot to learn from a technical standpoint, but he's a tough player with a lot of tools. I want to see him be more efficient with his footwork in the backfield, and he needs to continue with his base in pass protection, but he's more than willing to step up and take on rushers.
Thurman has never been "the guy" in the backfield, but that should change in 2023. We saw that during the spring game when he rushed for over 100 yards, including a 62-yard scoring run. He also caught a 33-yard pass for another score. He's poised to have a major breakout for Jesuit, and his recruiting profile is surely going to jump when that happens.
NOTRE DAME FIT
Thurman has the tools to be an every down back at the next level, even though he still has plenty to prove at the prep level. We'll start to get a glimpse of that talent in 2023 as he takes over as the lead back for Jesuit. Thurman has pure running back skill, but he can do more than just carry the football. On top of being a threat out of the backfield, Thurman also has experience in the return game, which is another area where he can use his speed.
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