'25 NJ RB Nolan James (Notre Dame Signee)

[BobbyMac]

RB
DePaul Catholic
Wayne, NJ

Measurements
5-11
200

Rankings
247 Comp: ..... #75 ATH, #985 OA, .8664 Rating
247: .................. #114 ATH, #33 NJ, 86
Rivals: .............. #49 ATH, #19 NJ, 5.6
ESPN: ............... #66 ATH, #27 NJ, 77
On3: ................. #54 ATH, #31 NJ, 87

Offers
Notre Dame ..... Offered ... 10-31-24 … Flipped… _________
BC ......................... Committed ... 12-2-23
Princeton
UVa
Duke
Minny
Cuse
Akron
Buffalo
Charlotte
UConn
Kent St
Liberty
UMass

 

[BobbyMac]

 

[BobbyMac]

4.0 GPA

OVing for the FSU game.

Been committed to BC since last Christmas so his offer list and ratings are definitely lower as a result of being off the market.

Featured offensive player on a team with ND's Elijah Burress, Ohio St WR commit - Dezie Jones & 4* '26 QB Derek Zammit

This has been brewing for a while.

CB right?

 

[NDMD]

CB right?

BC just accepted their third RB commit for this class, I'm sure they expect him gone

Is this guy a late bloomer? Numbers are good but offer list is underwhelming. Anyone have any idea about his measurables? I look forward to seeing Jamie U's eval.

 

[allenm5333]

BC just accepted their third RB commit for this class, I'm sure they expect him gone

Is this guy a late bloomer? Numbers are good but offer list is underwhelming. Anyone have any idea about his measurables? I look forward to seeing Jamie U's eval.

Do we take him and Davidson?

 

[BobbyMac]

BC just accepted their third RB commit for this class, I'm sure they expect him gone

Is this guy a late bloomer? Numbers are good but offer list is underwhelming. Anyone have any idea about his measurables? I look forward to seeing Jamie U's eval.

He's been the featured offensive guy at DePaul for the past 2 seasons. rushed for 1400+ last year. Transferred over from Don Bosco after his Soph year where he was the #2 RB, top receiver & KRer putting up @ 2000 APY. Also plays a little DB at DePaul.

 

[stlnd01]

The last time we flipped an RB with a middling offer list from a New Jersey Catholic school it was Audric Estime.

I'll take this kid every day of the week.

 

[Blazers46]

The last time we flipped an RB with a middling offer list from a New Jersey Catholic school it was Audric Estime.

I'll take this kid every day of the week.

With the new rules, how many can we take very year? In general?

 

[stlnd01]

With the new rules, how many can we take very year? In general?

I don't think there are hard-and-fast rules anymore, since they've done away with the 25-per-year cap they used to have. But the simple math would suggest five more per year (as total number of scholarships go from 85 to 105). So... ~30 per year?

Of course college football roster math is never simple. For instance when the new rules take effect, you'll be able to split scholarships in football, which you couldn't do before. I'd bet some of the guys who are currently PWOs get a partial scholarship, to keep them from going elsewhere for a full ride. And when you have two recruits you like roughly the same, maybe instead of telling them "first one to commit gets the spot," you just take both. Especially at positions where you rotate a lot and depth is super valuable like DL and WR.

Regardless, if the #1 RB in New Jersey wants in your class, I think you take him.

 

[NDPhilly]

Ran for 151 on 19 carries against Audric Estime’s and Howard Cross’s St Joes Montvale yesterday. Burress also had a 80 yard TD.

DePaul closes its regular season with dramatic victory over St. Joseph

Junior Derek Zammit threw three TD passes and ran for a score to lead DePaul to a 28-21 victory over St. Joseph in their regular season finale.

www.northjersey.com

St Joe’s has a very talented RB as well, fringe 4 star John Forster. Would have made a lot of sense late in the cycle as a target, must just like Nolan more.

John Forster, Illinois Fighting Illini, Running Back

2022: Finished sophomore season with 48 carries for 377 yards and 4 TDs, plus 15 receptions for 429 yards and 4 TDs.

247sports.com

 

[NDMD]

The last time we flipped an RB with a middling offer list from a New Jersey Catholic school it was Audric Estime.

I'll take this kid every day of the week.

Audric was a composite 4* and had 15+ P4 offers, this kid has 4or 5 P4 offers and they're low end.

Not to dismiss his potential but Austime was a significantly better prospect. Looking forward to what the people who know how to analyze tape think.

 

[INLaw]

Estime looked like a WWE intercontinental champion when he was 17

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Savon Huggins is recruiting him for BC. Interesting. Blast from the past.

Shifty, good hands, athletic looking highlights. The grades must be good if Princeton offered too.

 

[luckofirish8]

Looks to have a little DWalk in him.

 

[stlnd01]

Savon Huggins is recruiting him for BC. Interesting. Blast from the past.

Shifty, good hands, athletic looking highlights. The grades must be good if Princeton offered too.

First line of his twitter bio is 4.0 GPA.

I'm not saying this guy's going to be another Estime. That'd be asking alot. But the New Jersey Catholic schools produce good football players, who are often good fits for Notre Dame, and BC is known for developing RBs and they see something in him. I don't really see any downside here.

 

[dublinirish]

BC flipped a RB from Syracuse over the weekend, guessing they dont expect to keep James

 

[Armyirish47]

I don't think there are hard-and-fast rules anymore, since they've done away with the 25-per-year cap they used to have. But the simple math would suggest five more per year (as total number of scholarships go from 85 to 105). So... ~30 per year?

Of course college football roster math is never simple. For instance when the new rules take effect, you'll be able to split scholarships in football, which you couldn't do before. I'd bet some of the guys who are currently PWOs get a partial scholarship, to keep them from going elsewhere for a full ride. And when you have two recruits you like roughly the same, maybe instead of telling them "first one to commit gets the spot," you just take both. Especially at positions where you rotate a lot and depth is super valuable like DL and WR.

Regardless, if the #1 RB in New Jersey wants in your class, I think you take him.

With NIL a partial becomes a full ride and then some with minimal heavy lifting. I think it will be harder to get to 105 than we think consistently no matter how you math it, think of all the years we struggled to get to 85 pre “modern” era.

 

[irishjet34]

Think this is a no brainer with scholarships increasing. Kid plays for a NJ Catholic school and like said it is usually a good fit for us. He is putting up good numbers versus solid competition. BC has had a decent track record with running back development with Dillon/Williams among others over the years too. I think he would be a good addition to the class.

 

[ND7983]

Audric was a composite 4* and had 15+ P4 offers, this kid has 4or 5 P4 offers and they're low end.

Not to dismiss his potential but Austime was a significantly better prospect. Looking forward to what the people who know how to analyze tape think.

This kid stopped reporting offers after he committed to BC early.
Many teams were recruiting him.
And not to give it away, but there is a reason he isn’t reporting any other offers now either that teams are trying to flip him.

 

[ND7983]

First line of his twitter bio is 4.0 GPA.

I'm not saying this guy's going to be another Estime. That'd be asking alot. But the New Jersey Catholic schools produce good football players, who are often good fits for Notre Dame, and BC is known for developing RBs and they see something in him. I don't really see any downside here.

This kid is really good.
ND was looking at a handful of RBs & liked him the most. I don’t think he is back #2, I think he is #1.

 

[SoIll]

"Not all three-stars are created equally. Daniel Anderson was less than a three-star if Nolan Smith is a three-star."

Prister lol

 

[NDPhilly]

"Not all three-stars are created equally. Daniel Anderson was less than a three-star if Nolan Smith is a three-star."

Prister lol

Yeah I mean I think Nolan is better than Anderson and Thurman, although I think a 89 on the 247 scale is likely appropriate for him.

 

[Kingbish01]

Just watched his tape and thought he looked great. One thing that really stood out to me was "where are all the fans?" Maybe I've been spoiled, but is it low level play or NJ just doesn't have a big HS football following like other places.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

If he is only 5’11 with a neck that long he must be built really low to the ground.

 

[stlnd01]

Just watched his tape and thought he looked great. One thing that really stood out to me was "where are all the fans?" Maybe I've been spoiled, but is it low level play or NJ just doesn't have a big HS football following like other places.

It’s not low-level play at all. Same conference that produced Cross, Estime, Ademilola brothers, Brandon Wimbush, etc.

But these are relatively small Catholic schools that probably don’t draw huge crowds on a Friday night.

 

[allenm5333]

It’s not low-level play at all. Same conference that produced Cross, Estime, Ademilola brothers, Brandon Wimbush, etc.

But these are relatively small Catholic schools that probably don’t draw huge crowds on a Friday night.

They play on Saturdays a lot too

 

[ColinKSU]

"Not all three-stars are created equally. Daniel Anderson was less than a three-star if Nolan Smith is a three-star."

Prister lol

“If Daniel Anderson has one million haters, I am one of them. If he has 100 haters, I am one of them. If he has 1 hater, I am him. If he has 0 haters, I have left the Earth.”

- Tim Prister

 

[CanadalovesND]

Singer with the prediction.

Driskell also not elaborating on the "2nd rb" that ND was secretly working on. Says it won't be relevant after this weekend.

Kind of seems like the flip already may have happened, or seems like an "when not if" scenario.

 

[stlnd01]

They play on Saturdays a lot too

Well on those weekends they really wouldn’t draw a crowd on Friday night!

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Fill the needs of the class. Where they wind up "ranked" will be what it will be.