by Notre Dame just scored a major recruiting victory, thanks to former Penn State running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider. After leaving Happy Valley for South Bend this offseason, Seider quickly made an impact on the Fighting Irish’s 2026 recruiting class.
On May 3, four-star running back Javian Osborne committed to Notre Dame. Osborne, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound standout, is ranked as the No. 6 RB in the 2026 class and the No. 90 overall player according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Osborne’s commitment helped boost Notre Dame to No. 2 in the national recruiting rankings, trailing only USC. Penn State, meanwhile, fell two spots behind the Irish.
Originally, Seider seemed focused on flipping four-star Penn State commit Messiah Mickens, but with Osborne on board, that pursuit appears to be cooling off. Still, Seider isn’t done yet.
Notre Dame is now favored to land another top talent: four-star running back Brian Bonner. Bonner has official visits lined up with several top programs, including Notre Dame, Washington, UCLA, Nebraska, and Penn State. He’s scheduled to visit Happy Valley on June 13, but new RB coach Stan Drayton faces a tough battle to win him over.
With Bonner possibly heading to South Bend, Messiah Mickens becomes even more critical to Penn State’s future. A native of Harrisburg, PA, Mickens is ranked as the 13th-best RB in the 2026 class. With veterans Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen heading into their final seasons, Mickens could see early playing time in 2026.
It’s worth noting that Seider was instrumental in bringing both Singleton and Allen to Penn State in 2022. That duo has become one of the best backfields in the country. Ironically, the only backfield that could rival them now belongs to Seider at Notre Dame—featuring Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price.
After Singleton and Allen depart, Penn State’s backfield will feature a young and unproven group, including Cam Wallace, Quinton Martin Jr., Corey Smith, Jabree Wallace-Coleman, and Tikey Hayes. That opens the door for Mickens to make a big impact.
Without Seider, Penn State’s success at running back now rests in Stan Drayton’s hands. The battle for backfield dominance between South Bend and Happy Valley is just getting started.
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