Notre Dame trying to steal a four-star playmaker committed elsewhere from an important recruiting area for the Fighting Irish
There’s a new Notre Dame running back target for Fighting Irish fans to know.
Notre Dame football has recruited and developed the running back position as well as anyone over the last few years. All you have to do is turn on the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine to see former Fighting Irish stars Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price showcase how talented they are. It has been a long time since the backfield in South Bend was quite this good.
Head coach Marcus Freeman and running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider have their eyes on several extremely talented running back targets in the 2027 recruiting class right now. Another interesting one just got added to the list this week when the Fighting Irish extended an offer to Montgomery (Texas) High School star Keldrid Ben. That addition to the board is interesting for several reasons.
When you pop on his Hudl highlights, it’s easy to see why Notre Dame decided to offer. This is an extremely strong and explosive runner who presents tremendous upside on the college level. Ben is also currently committed to the Oklahoma Sooners, which quickly increases the intrigue.
There is no telling right now if there is substantial interest on Ben’s side. Until he decides to visit South Bend, this is nothing more than an intriguing offer. It will, however, be extremely interesting to navigate where things go from here, and if Notre Dame makes a legitimate push for the talented runner.
Keldrid Ben’s recruiting background
Ben is considered to be a near-consensus four-star recruit by each of the major platforms, the exception being 247 Sports, who has the Texas native pegged as a three-star player right now. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Ben currently sits as a four-star, the No. 176 overall player, the No. 8 running back, and the No. 26 player from the state of Texas for the 2027 recruiting class. It feels likely that Ben will continue to trend upward in terms of rankings.
Despite committing to the Sooners in December of last year, some premier programs have continued to push hard for the Texas native. Some of his best offers currently include the Fighting Irish, the Sooners, Texas, Oregon, Florida State, and Wisconsin, among others. The battle for Ben isn’t over quite yet, it would appear.
As a junior in 2025, Ben put together an outstanding season for Montgomery High School. In 11 games, the 5-10, 208-pound playmaker managed to rush for 1,560 yards and 15 touchdowns, while averaging an absurd 10.3 yards per carry. Ben also hauled in 16 receptions for 299 yards and three more scores. He had five games where he rushed for over 150 yards, and two were Ben eclipsed 250 yards rushing on the ground.
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There could be a massive recruiting win on the horizon for Notre Dame football.
