Notre Dame football has continued to pursue notable legacies, and it doesn’t look like that will be changing in the 2028 recruiting class

Notre Dame football has had quite the run of success at the running back position in recent years. Kyren Williams and Audric Estime were both tremendous players, but current Fighting Irish star Jeremiyah Love is even better.  That success doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, even after Love most likely leaves following the […]

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer

Jun 9, 2025 1:18 PM EDT

Notre Dame football has had quite the run of success at the running back position in recent years. Kyren Williams and Audric Estime were both tremendous players, but current Fighting Irish star Jeremiyah Love is even better. 

That success doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, even after Love most likely leaves following the 2025 college football season. With Jadarian Price, Aneyas Williams, Kedren Young, and Nolan James Jr. all having eligibility remaining after the is upcoming season, the cupboard is well stocked. 

That doesn’t even include 2026 commits Javian Osborne and Jonaz Walton either. 

Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish staff have also made it a priority to pursue Notre Dame legacies, as well as sons of former NFL players. That includes the likes of Bryce Young, Jerome Bettis Jr., Elijah Burress, and James Flanigan among others. It appears that momentum could be continuing into the 2028 recruiting class as well. 

At the recent Irish Invasion camp, Notre Dame hosted Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School running back Xander Edwards. If that last name doesn’t sound familiar, Xander is the son of former Irish star fullback Marc Edwards. The older Edwards plays with the team from 1993-96.

During that stretch, Edwards managed to rush for 1,591 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also hauled in another 46 receptions for 598 yards and five scores. 

Edwards was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He spent nine years in the league with the 49ers, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Chicago Bears. 

Now a legitimate recruit himself, Xander is just beginning to generate college interest. The 6-2, 210-pound runner was a notable performer for the Bolles School as just a freshman. In 12 games, Edwards rushed for 558 yards and eight touchdowns, an average of 7.2 yards per carry. He added an additional 46 yards on four receptions. 

Judging by the film for Edwards, and the overall talent, you can bet that he will continue to garner interest from several programs this offseason and during his sophomore campaign. Edwards has an early offer from South Florida, but that is just the beginning. 

You can bet that the Fighting Irish continue to evaluate him, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him offered eventually. 

Notre Dame football set to host an elite group of recruits for an official visit, but they have their work cut out for them

Notre Dame has some important official visitors heading to South Bend this week