Nolan James Jr.

Freshman running back for Notre Dame. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

RB · Notre Dame · Fr. · #2

5′10″ · 212 lb · Westwood, NJ · DePaul Catholic

Returning to Notre Dame for 2026

Next upSat Sep 19 · 7:30 pm ETvs Michigan StateNotre Dame StadiumNotre Dame by 30

How he plays

Rec yards: 100th percentile.

The full scouting read

The numbers

rushing yards · 2026

2 TD · 3.7 per carry · 5 catches

2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 19 rush yds, 67 rec yds, vs Wisconsin

His career numbers, season by season

The story

1 running back for Notre Dame. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

Signed as a 4-star recruit to Notre Dame in 2025.

His career, year by year

Nolan James Jr.

RB · Notre Dame · Fr · #2

This is his second year in the same backfield at Notre Dame. The receipt on tape: 29 rush yds, 2 rush TD against Rice, Week 2, 2026.

48 RUSH YDS · 2 RUSH TD · 13 CARRIES

Low coverage — composed from the verified record.

season totals
seasons on the roster
game log

2026 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2 seasons under Marcus Freeman — 12-2 over that span.

2025Notre Dame10-2HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning, slow tempo

2026Notre Dame2-0HC: Marcus Freeman · Balanced

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

Box-score percentiles

7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: rec yards (100th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).

Box-score rates (7)

Rec yards#1 / 15 · 100th pct

Receptions#6 / 15 · 67th pct

Rush TDs#6 / 15 · 53rd pct

Long run#15 / 15 · 7th pct

Rush yards#16 / 15 · 0th pct

Yards / carry#16 / 15 · 0th pct

3.7

Carries#16 / 15 · 0th pct

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Splits & context

Splits

Per-game splits

Through 2 games: 24.0 YDS/g, 3.8 YPC, 1.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Marcus Freeman

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2026

Backup

On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career stats

Season	Team
2026	Notre Dame	13	48	3.7	2	--
2025	Notre Dame	14	37	2.6	0	--
Career		27	85	3.1	2	--

Season	Team
2026	Notre Dame	5	66	13.2	1	--
2025	Notre Dame	--	--	--	--	--
Career		5	66	13.2	1	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026

W 41–13

vs Wisconsin

19 rush yds (7 car)

Dominant 28-point win at home against Wisconsin.

With C. Carr — 239 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 81.3 · -6 rush yds (2 car) · A. Williams — 90 rush yds (20 car) · 2 TD

Signature plays

Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|

The plays that mattered most

fact

Week 1 · Wisconsin · 3&4 · Q4 · EPA +3.38(02:00) Shotgun #13 C.Carr pass complete short left to #2 N.James Jr. caught at WIS24, for 28 yards to the WIS00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:51, 1ST DOWN #35 S.Porath kick attempt good (H: #39 J.Scaife, LS: #96 J.Vinci)
Week 2 · Rice · 2&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.96(14:03) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 N.James Jr. rush middle for 15 yards gain to the Rice01 (#10 K.Condoll), 1ST DOWN
Week 2 · Rice · 2&1 · Q2 · EPA +1.90(04:30) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 N.James Jr. rush middle for 1 yard gain to the Rice00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 04:26 #35 S.Porath kick attempt good (H: #39 J.Scaife, LS: #96 J.Vinci) #35 S.Porath kick attempt good (H: #39 J.Scaife, LS: #96 J.Vinci) PENALTY #35 S.Porath kick attempt good (H: #39 J.Scaife, LS: #96 J.Vinci) PENALTY Rice Personal Foul (#57 A.Clemmons) #35 S.Porath kick attempt good (H: #39 J.Scaife, LS: #96 J.Vinci) PENALTY Rice Personal Foul (#57 A.Clemmons) 15 yards from Rice00 to UND50
Week 2 · Rice · 3&1 · Q1 · EPA +1.11(00:25) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 N.James Jr. rush middle for 2 yards gain to the UND47 (#33 S.Combs), 1ST DOWN
Week 2 · Rice · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.98(01:59) Shotgun #13 C.Carr pass complete short right to #2 N.James Jr. caught at Rice43, for 1 yard loss to the Rice39 (#7 A.Brown; #12 J.Benjamin)
Week 2 · Rice · 1&1 · Q2 · EPA +0.94(13:46) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 N.James Jr. rush middle for 1 yard gain to the Rice00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 13:43 PENALTY Rice Offside declined #35 S.Porath kick attempt good (H: #39 J.Scaife, LS: #96 J.Vinci)
Week 1 · Wisconsin · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.88(11:29) Shotgun #13 C.Carr pass complete short middle to #2 N.James Jr. caught at Wis32, for 28 yards to the Wis06 (#4 M.Burks), 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · Wisconsin · 3&1 · Q4 · EPA +0.49(03:53) Shotgun #2 N.James Jr. rush middle for 1 yard gain to the WIS34 (#97 J.Poyser; #8 M.Posa), 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · Wisconsin · 2&6 · Q4 · EPA -0.38(02:38) Shotgun #2 N.James Jr. rush right for 2 yards gain to the WIS28 (#8 M.Posa)
Week 1 · Wisconsin · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.24(04:55) Shotgun #2 N.James Jr. rush right for 3 yards gain to the UND23 (#5 B.West; #44 C.Catalano)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2026 season · 2 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	Note
Wk 1	W 41-13vs Wisconsin	7	19	2.7	0	7
Wk 2	W 52-0vs Rice	6	29	4.8	2	15	Season-high 29 yds
Total		13	48	3.8	2	15

The backfield · Notre Dame

#22Aneyas WilliamsRB · Jr.224 rushing yards · 2025
#2Nolan James Jr.RB · Fr.37 rushing yards · 2025
#46Matt WilliamsRB · Sr.no box-score line yet
#21Kedren YoungRB · So.2 games · 2026
#26Javian OsborneRB · Fr.1 game · 2026

2 more on the roster · Notre Dame team page

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology

Nolan James Jr.

20254 games

2026 snapshot

Splits & context

Awards

Backup

Career stats

Signature game

Signature plays

Game log

How he plays

Heisman trajectory

Peak #87

The backfield · Notre Dame