(UHND) - Notre Dame secured the commitment from Rivals Top 100 running back James Aldridge (6-1, 215) Monday morning when Charlie Weis visited the talented back as the May Evaluation Period got off to a roaring start. Aldridge is the 6 th commitment so far and 2 nd at the tailback position.
Aldridge was one of, if not the top target for Notre Dame this recruiting season at tailback. At 6-1, 215 he has got great size for a high school running back and still has the ability to make some quick cuts. He has a nice burst coming off of cuts and can make people miss in the open field.
During his junior season at Merrillville High School , Aldridge rushed for 2,067 yards on 281 carries while scoring 20 touchdowns including a player of the week performance against East Chicago Central on October 22, 2004 with a 31 carry, 237 yards and 3 touchdowns display.
The Irish were at the head of the pack along with Oklahoma State over USC, Oklahoma , Iowa , and Ohio State . USC and Oklahoma had not offered Aldridge yet, but both were expected to offer a scholarship to Aldridge in the near future.
Aldridge not only keeps the momentum going for Notre Dame, but he gives the Irish a top 100 back. Last year Notre Dame locked onto Darius Walker and landed the talented back, but that has been the anomaly in the recent past.
Missing targets such as Reggie Bush, Lorenzo Booker, and Kelly Baraka characterized Notre Dame recruiting at running back over the last few years. Walker , was the first back to make an impact at Notre Dame as a freshman since Julius Jones burst onto the scene in 1999.
Aldridge also compliments fellow commitment Munir Prince very nicely. Price is a smaller, speed back while Aldridge is the bigger back that can pound the ball. At 215 heading into his senior season, Aldridge will be a load to bring down by the time he hits the field at Notre Dame. These two backs give Notre Dame the much clichéd “thunder and lighting” kind of backfield with this class.
His speed is listed anywhere from 4.45 on Rivals to 4.6 on scout, but he appears to have good football speed, which is something that 40 times do no measure.
Notre Dame now has 6 commitments from the following states — Indiana , Pennsylvania , Ohio , Missouri (2), and Massachusetts . Landing the top talent in the Mid West is something Notre Dame has not done well with in the past decade or so. Notre Dame has let a lot of local talent slip away to other local schools in recent year, but that is something this new staff is set out to change.
Charlie Weis and his staff are sending a message out to the college football world right now that things are not the same at Notre Dame anymore. Notre Dame will be a force to be reckoned with in recruiting battles once again and won’t be left waiting in January for a few prospects to round out top 25 classes. Rather, Notre Dame will be waiting in January for those final few prospects that will elevate their class to the top 5.
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