What’s next for Notre Dame Football after RB decommitment in 2023?

Notre Dame football suffered a hit to its 2023 recruiting class as Sedrick Irvin Jr. decommitted from the Irish leaving them without an RB commitment. 

Decommitments happen and they are almost always a bummer. Notre Dame football experienced that on Friday as long-time four-star running back commitment Sedrick Irvin Jr. re-opened his recruitment.

Irvin Jr. is the son of a former Michigan State running back and he chose the Irish over offers from Michigan State, Michigan, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and more.

He’s ranked as a four-star according to the 247 sports composite rankings and the On3 consensus rankings, although his On3.com profile also shows him as a defensive back, which is also an option.

For the Irish, the concern is filling a hole at the running back spot in the 2023 class and the good news is that Notre Dame football has already been trending with four-star running back Jayden Limar who is making his decision known this week and after a run of crystal ball projections, it’s widely expected that he will choose the Irish.

What’s next for Notre Dame football at RB in 2023?

But the Irish want to take more than one running back, which means even if Limar commits this week as expected, there’s still work to do.

The good news that is the Irish has a pair of talented running backs coming to campus for visits in June. One is five-star running back, Richard Young. The Irish didn’t make his initial top seven but are getting an official visit along with Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, and Oklahoma.

Alabama seems to be the heavy favorite according to the crystal ball projections and the On3.com prediction machine which gives the Tide a better than 80 percent chance to win his recruitment, but still, that official visit is an opportunity.

Notre Dame football will also host Jeremiyah Love in June and he’s another talented running back who’s ranked 10th at the position according to the On3 consensus.

Love is out of St. Louis and is ranked No. 216 overall in the 2023 class and the two teams most in contention are Notre Dame and Michigan. The Wolverines are recruiting him as a running back and defensive back, because he’s that kind of athlete, while Notre Dame wants him running the ball.

That’s probably especially true after losing Irvin. Before that decommitment, it seemed like there wouldn’t be room for Love because three running back pledges felt like too many.

But now, Love is there for the taking, and the Irish should pounce because their rival from Michigan is making a hard charge.