Running Back James Simon Is Set For His First Notre Dame Experience

Notre Dame has been recruiting the running back position at a very high level over the last couple of years. That has included the 2025 class with the staff already having commitments from Florida speedster Justin Thurman and Arkansas standout Daniel Anderson.

Despite having two commitments at running back in the class, Notre Dame is still keeping close contact with one of the top runners in the 2025 class. Shreveport (La.) Calvary Baptist star running back James Simon is set to visit South Bend for the first time this weekend for their matchup with USC.

Both sides have been talking regularly, with Simon elated to see everything the program has to offer, especially on a game day.

"I’m really excited to just see the atmosphere, especially at the game,” Simon told Irish Breakdown. “I also really want to see the campus. It seems like a great place.”

With so many schools targeting Simon, he has been in contact with coaches and recruiters consistently everyday. Despite that, the Irish staff is still standing out. They have continued to reaffirm their pitch and interest in the Louisiana native.

“Recruiting has been fun,” Simon said. “My relationship with the Notre Dame coaches has come a long way. It has been especially strong for me to come out for a game.

“The staff has continued to let me know that I can come play good football but also get great academics too,” he continued. “I think they’re a powerhouse team led by some great leaders.”

A decision for Simon is very far into the future. There is a very tentative timeline he is working with, however there is definitely no rush. Notre Dame will have to stay patient in this one.

“A decision is probably going to come during my senior season,” he stated. “That’s when I think it’s going to happen.”

It wasn’t anticipated that Notre Dame would spend a lot of time on 2025 running backs with Thurman and Anderson already in the class. It will be interesting to see how they navigate this position the rest of the cycle, especially with Simon getting his first taste of Notre Dame this weekend.

Simon is rated as a four-star recruit by every major recruiting platform. He is rated highest on the On3 ranking, pegging him as the No. 124 overall player and No. 11 running back in the 2025 recruiting class. Each ranking outside of Rivals has Simon ranked as a top six player in the state of Louisiana.

The 6-0, 195-pound running back has been garnering interest from an assortment of premier programs. Some of his notable offers include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, USC, Texas, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, TCU, Oregon, Florida State, Auburn, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Missouri, Houston and Arizona among others.

The Louisiana native was a big driving force for the 9-3 Calvary Baptist squad as a sophomore. Simon led the team with 1,005 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on just 138 carries. That is good enough for 7.3 yards per carry on top of another 122 yards and three touchdowns on nine receptions.

In six games as a junior, Simon has rushed for 560 yards and six touchdowns on just 77 carries (7.3 yards per carry). He also has hauled in eight receptions for 64 yards.

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