Notre Dame Impresses Elite RB Javian Osborne Ahead of May Decision Day
2026 Forney (Texas) running back Javian Osborne made his first visit to Notre Dame in March and the four-star prospect back on campus over the week for the Blue-Gold Game.
With a commitment date set for the first week of May, this was a critical opportunity for the Irish to make a lasting impression and it appears Notre Dame did just that.
“Man, it was great,” Osborne told ISD. “It felt comfortable. It felt great. It was the perfect weather for some football. Anytime you have a sunny day and clear skies, it’s a great day to be at Notre Dame.”
On his first visit, Osborne was able to feel out the football program while also experiencing what the university had to offer outside of athletics.
The highlight of this trip was a sit-down with Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua.
“I was able to speak with the AD,” explained Osborne. “They had a specific meeting to talk with him and it was great. It went well. I was able to hear him talk. It was great to hear what Notre Dame offers and what they bring in terms of what they have for the student-athlete.
“He’s a great human being. It was great being around him and listening.”
Osborne, who’s had conversations with top coaches across the country over the last few years, noted his time with Bevacqua stood out.
“It shows you that he’s interested in me as well,” stated Osborne. “I’m interested in Notre Dame, but it shows I’m a high priority for Notre Dame. They love me and want to get people around me to see me. It felt great and it was great to talk with him.”
The Forney star connected with fellow Texan Jadarian Price during the visit as Notre Dame made sure Osborne got a better feel for the players.
“I hung out with Jadarian Price,” Osborne said. “It was really good. We chopped it up and talked. It was great to be around him. He’s a great person.”
After spending the weekend around the team, Osborne knows that if Notre Dame were the choice, he’d fit into the locker room, which is always significant for recruits.
“I can definitely see myself as one of them,” Osborne explained. “It was great to be around those guys - great mannerisms, great character and they are just like me. I know I fit in well with that locker room. It was great to talk to the running backs and some of the receivers.”
Notre Dame running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider has put in a ton of work in a short amount of time. Sieder and Osborne have developed a strong relationship over the last few weeks and were able to build on it last weekend.
Why have they connected so well? It starts with Seider being genuine.
“When I went on the first visit, we just hit it off really well,” said Osborne. “He wasn’t faking anything. I’ve been on a lot of visits where you can tell a coach is faking it. Coach Seider was just really personable and wanted to build that relationship. It was genuine.
“I felt that. I was able to build that trust with him. I trust and believe in what he says.”
Osborne had seen practice during his first visit, so he was familiar with the offense, but on Saturday, he saw the Irish backs make plenty of plays in the run and pass game.
“It was great to see what Coach Denbrock puts into the offense,” Osborne stated. “He gets the backs into open space and gets them the ball to make the defense look silly. I know I could thrive in that offense.”
Notre Dame also hosted several commits over the week, including all four offensive line commits on Friday night. Osborne connected with all four and got a great feel for them as people outside of football.
“I was on the phone with Gregory Patrick three days ago before he committed,” said Osborne. “I was talking to Big Sully (Sullivan Garvin), Tyler (Merrill) and Ben (Nichols). It was great to see them. They told me, ‘Come home. It’s here for you. We’re ready to block for you.’
“They’re great young men. If commit to Notre Dame, it’d be great to have those guys block for me. They’re great human beings and easy to talk to. They’re personable with you and they’re really funny. I was able to speak with Big Sully’s mother and she’s a really nice lady.”
Osborne will take his final unofficial visit to Michigan this weekend before his commitment on May 3rd.
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