Notre Dame Offered Impressive Crop Of Running Backs In The 2026 Class
On Sunday, Notre Dame held their annual Pot of Gold offer event. Over 100 of the top players in the 2026 recruiting class were offered by the program, adding a ton of talent to the board.
In total, ten 2026 running backs were offered. Here is that talented list, including a little snippet of what each player brings to the table.
JAVIAN OSBORNE - Forney (Texas) High School
Since the moment Osborne suited up for Forney, he has been an absolute star. After rushing for over 1,000 yards as a freshman, he eclipsed the 2,000 yard mark as a sophomore in a talent rich area. Osborne is a very explosive downhill runner who leaves defenders in mud when he sticks his foot in the ground and cuts. He is special.
JAVIAN MALLORY - Boca Raton (Fla.) West
Mallory has a good claim as the best all around running back on the list. West Boca Raton uses every aspect of his profile, including throwing him screens, getting him out in space and as a traditional runner. He isn’t the biggest or fastest runner out there but his feel for space is tremendous. Mallory’s quickness is impressive.
AMARI LATIMER - Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek
There are a lot of parallels between Latimer and current Alabama running back Justice Haynes. Latimer is a downhill runner that brings a good balance of straight line speed and power. He doesn’t look like he’s moving that quickly but he tends to pull away from defenders for some explosive plays.
JONAZ WALTON - Carrollton (Ga.) Central
Walton was already previously offered by the Irish, but was still a part of the Pot of Gold festivities. He is one of the more well rounded runners in the class, possessing a good balance of physicality, balance, quickness and good straight line speed. There is going to be a lot of interest in Walton across every major player in college football.
RAYCINE GUILLORY - Aledo (Texas) High School
Guillory is the prototype outside zone runner, possessing the patience to stay patient on the play side and the explosiveness to get vertical in a hurry and create some big plays. He has a great understanding for how things develop, and uses his vision and processing to find gaps in the defense. As it stands, Guillory is committed to the University of Texas.
SAVION HITER - Woodberry Forest (Va.) High School
Notre Dame has had success in Woodberry Forest in the past, including in the 2023 class with defensive lineman Armel Mukam. That momentum could continue with Hiter, who is one of the more well regarded runners in the class. Hiter has an unbelievable feel for space, possessing really good vision and ability to make defenders miss on the second and third level.
MESSIAH MICKENS - Camp Hill (Pa.) Trinity
Mickens is currently committed to Penn State. As a runner, he is very well put together and powerful. On film, he breaks a ton of tackles. Mickens plays with a low center of gravity and has no problem playing through contact. He does a little bit of everything for Trinity, including as a runner, receiver and on defense.
DAVIAN GROCE - Frisco (Texas) Lone Star
At the same age, Groce looks pretty similar to former Oklahoma star Joe Mixon. He is a high cut runner that has subtly quick feet and underrated explosiveness. Groce is also used in the passing game, where he makes plays all over the field. He is one of the better all purpose runners on the list, having a ton of developmental upside to work with.
DEZEPHEN WALKER - Peculiar (Mo.) Raymore
Notre Dame fans may recognize the school name. Walker played with 2024 tight end Jaden Reddell, who signed with the University of Georgia after showing interest in the Irish early on. The first things that pop on Walker’s film are explosiveness and speed. He has the ability to create a bunch of big plays.
JA’MICHAEL JONES - Montgomery (Al.) Pike Road
Jones is a no nonsense runner who loves to quickly get vertical. He plays with a good center of balance, and has a propensity to work through contact and find a lot of second effort yardage. Despite his 5-10, 190-pound listing, Jones is one of the better inside runners on the list.
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