Jadarian Price had a simple answer when Texas Tech came calling with the kind of NIL pitch that’s become impossible to ignore in college football: he stayed put, trusted the path, and let the NFL do the talking.
That decision was not made in a vacuum. Price said programs like Texas Tech reached out through the Transfer Portal and sold him on more money and a bigger workload. The Red Raiders, under head coach Joey McGuire, have leaned hard into an “outspend everyone to beat everyone” model, but South Bend still won out for Price.
“Not really,” Price said. “I was really close when my mom heard about what Texas Tech was offering,” the running back said with a big smile. But he had a response ready for that too.
“I told her, just wait until the NFL money hits, and we'll be good. She trusted me on that, and look what happened.”
Price explained later that the choice to remain with Notre Dame was about more than football. “The group of guys, the coaches, like, it was the place I wanted to be.
I wanted to finish my degree, all of that. I wanted to go back and compete for a national championship, have my name on the wall.”
The gamble paid off. Price put together three strong seasons with the Fighting Irish, and the last two were especially productive even while he shared the backfield with Jeremiyah Love.
In 2024, he ran for 746 yards and 7 touchdowns and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Last year, he added 674 yards and 11 scores while averaging 6.0 yards per rush.
That split workload didn’t knock him off course. Price said he had heard the same kind of pitch from other schools too, with teams telling him that more playing time and more NIL money would help boost his draft stock.
Love dealt with similar pressure, though his own story centered more on his high school commitment to Notre Dame and less on transfer talk. Both players stayed, and both stuck with the environment they wanted in South Bend.
Price’s bet on himself also held up on draft night. After the Arizona Cardinals took Love with the No. 3 overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks selected Price in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
And early on, the backfield split hasn’t slowed him down. Through two games with Seattle, Price is tied for the team lead in carries with 23, leads the team with 104 rushing yards, and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Fans Wont Like This BYU Defense Take
A week or two out from the October 17 matchup, the conversation around Notre Dames defense has already turned into one of those debates fans love to argue over. Pro Football Network analyst Cam Mellor stirred the pot by saying BYU has more talent across all 11 starters on defense than the Irish do, even as the numbers have Notre Dame sitting ahead of the Cougars in several key defensive categories. It is the kind of comparison that invites immediate pushback, especially when both teams have looked sturdy enough to give their supporters reasons for confidence.
For Notre Dame followers, the frustration is not just the opinion itself, but the idea that roster talent and on-field results are being weighed in different ways. The Irish have earned better defensive rankings so far, while BYUs case leans more on what Mellor sees on film and across the depth chart. With the matchup still ahead, the larger question is whether the Irish can turn those statistical edges into something more concrete once the teams finally meet, because this one already has the feel of a game that will settle a few arguments. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame's Champ Monds Faces One Big Question Before South Bend
Champ Monds arrival in South Bend has already taken a detour, even before he has put on a Notre Dame helmet. The Irish commit underwent surgery on a dislocated left shoulder after the injury happened twice, ending his final high school season early and forcing a sudden pause in what had been building into a key part of the programs future plans.
Notre Dame still expects the reclassified 2027 prospect to be healed in time to enroll early and join spring practice, which keeps the long-term outlook intact. Even so, his rehab will be worth watching closely, because the shoulder is now the one issue hovering over a commitment the Irish beat out Florida State and Ohio State to land. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame May Have Found The Back Its Ground Game Needed
Notre Dame has spent this season trying to sort out what its rushing attack is supposed to look like after losing key NFL draft picks, and Nolan James Jr. offered a timely answer in the latest game. The sophomore running back carried the load with 121 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, showing the patience and rhythm the Irish have been looking for as they work to reestablish an identity on the ground.
Nolans emergence matters because Notre Dame does not just need production, it needs a back it can trust to set the tone snap after snap. The run game remains a work in progress as the offense keeps defining itself, but this performance gave the Irish a clearer look at a runner who can help steady that effort and maybe give the ground game a little more staying power. [Read more 🡒]