Notre Dame football set for epic recruiting battle against hated rival for elite playmaker from a priority area
Running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider has hit the ground running since coming to Notre Dame after previously coaching with Penn State. Seider was given a talented 2026 running back board, and was asked to make a quick impact. He has done just that.
Perhaps the biggest target on the board now is Forney (Texas) High School star Javian Osborne, who made a return visit to South Bend recently. The Fighting Irish came out of that trip as the new leader for Osborne. They again received some big news on Monday when it was announced that Osborne was down to two schools, Notre Dame and Michigan.
This looks like it’s going to be an old fashioned battle between Midwest rivals. Even tonight the two teams haven’t faced off in several years, the hatred between the two runs deep. Anytime you have the chance to beat the Wolverine for a good recruit, it’s a quality victory.
Osborne is considered to be a four-star player by every major recruiting platform. He is currently ranked as the No. 81 overall player, No. 3 running back, and No. 13 player in Texas for the 2026 recruiting class according to Rivals. Both the On3 Industry and 247Sports Composite rankings have Osborne pegged as a top 100 overall player.
Outside of Osborne’s finalists, he was also pursued by several prominent programs. Some of his best offers include Texas, Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon, Oklahoma, Tennessee, USC, Ole Miss, Miami, Florida, Penn State, Florida State, and Texas A&M among many others.
As a junior, Osborne put together a tremendous season for Forney. In nine games, in nine games, he rushed for 1,085 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging seven yards per carry. The 5-10, 195-pound runner also hauled in nine receptions for 168 yards and three more scores.
With a decision in the future, Notre Dame is viewed as the leader for Osborne right now. He is a dynamic athlete who looks a lot like LeSean McCoy on film. His combination of lateral mobility and vision is something to behold.
