Notre Dame adds 2025 four-star Florida RB Justin Thurman
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
In the world of college football recruiting, campus visits are everything. Prospects get to envision the day in the life of being a part of a program, they get a feel for the staff, and learn how a four-year commitment can shape their future. After camping with the Fighting Irish this summer, Notre Dame got Justin Thurman back on campus this weekend, a visit that ended with the four-star verbally committing.
The 2025 Tampa Jesuit (Fla.) talent laid out the Saturday visit in South Bend.
“The setup was at the facility,” Thurman stated. “We started in the weight room, all the recruits met there to check in. They started us with a basketball relay competition; two recruits going against each other. We ate a fruit roll up, then moved to the next station chugging a water bottle, and the next was hitting five shots in basketball.
“After that, we moved to a meeting with coach (Marcus) Freeman. He talked about Notre Dame and his philosophy. The recruiting staff split us up in four pods, they took us and our families on a campus tour. We met back up in front of the stadium in front of “Touchdown Jesus”, that is where we had the cookout.”
Justin Thurman at Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish coaching staff believe greatly in Thurman’s offensive talents.
“We didn’t really talk about football,” Thurman shared. “With coach Freeman, we talked about life with him and my family. My sister was with me this time, she wasn’t able to be there last time. He was asking her about her goals and aspirations. We talked football; about how I could help bring a national championship to the school, how I am a fit, my speed, me being versatile, me being a three-down back, and how that would apply greatly to the Notre Dame offense.”
The Sunshine State connection helped bring Thurman to Indiana.
“I was able to talk to Sean Sevillano (Jr.), he’s a 2024 d-lineman from Clearwater Academy (International), and I talked to Davion Dixon, 2025 d-lineman commit out of (Miami) Palmetto. We met up on Saturday; we talked, and talked about where we are from, being excited for the season, and being excited to be at Notre Dame. It was cool, especially when we went against each other.”
Thurman detailed why Notre Dame is the place for him at the next level.
“The things were the culture, academics, the program, and the people,” Thurman said. “Notre Dame is a good fit for me holistically and my lifestyle. “The four for 40”, which means four years at Notre Dame that will help you set up for the next 40 in a good way. I feel that it is the best fit for me.
“The “Golden Standard”, the mentality and how they attack things at Notre Dame. The culture, coach Freeman and all the coaches, it is a family environment. It is competitive but they are family; I wanted to be in that kind of environment. Academics, they have a real estate program; that is what I am highly interested in and that is what I want to do after football; that was one of the reasons I picked Notre Dame.”
Head coach Marcus Freeman and running backs coach Deland McCullough got the good news on Saturday.
“I committed to the staff Saturday night,” Thurman shared. “I committed to coach Freeman and to coach McCullough. I thanked them for the opportunity, and I thanked God. I told them I had long conversations with my family, prayed about it, and Notre Dame is the best fit for me holistically.”
Being in South Bend checks all the boxes for Thurman.
“It was very exciting for me being able to express how Notre Dame felt to me; it felt like home,” Thurman stated. “Seeing everything again, the relationship and the conversations with the staff and coaches, it just felt like home. It felt like the best place for me to attend school for the next four years.”
*Before the commitment, get the July 29 RNG interview with Justin Thurman.