Notre Dame opened its biggest recruiting week with a local win, landing 2027 Saint Joseph safety James Criniti on Wednesday.
Criniti, a 3-star defensive back from Indiana, flipped his commitment from Central Michigan to the Fighting Irish and will now have the chance to stay home and walk on at Marcus Freeman’s program. The under-the-radar prospect has been around South Bend plenty over the years, showing up for games and camps, and now he gets to suit up for the school he has long wanted to represent.
“After much thought and prayer, I have decided to decommit from Central Michigan University,” Criniti said in a social media statement. “I am incredibly grateful to Coach Drinkall, Coach Fleming, and the entire Central Michigan staff for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to continue my football career.”
Criniti, listed at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, originally committed to Central Michigan on June 17, 2026, after an official visit to Mount Pleasant earlier that month. His move to Notre Dame comes just as Miami arrives in town for a major recruiting weekend.
On the field, Criniti has put together a versatile resume at Saint Joseph. As a junior in 2025, he piled up 108 tackles and eight interceptions while helping the Huskies win an Indiana Class 4A regional championship.
Those eight picks tied him for sixth in Indiana and led the Northern Indiana Conference. MaxPreps also credits him with 44 catches for 610 yards and seven touchdowns, plus 21 carries for 134 yards and three rushing scores.
He added 268 punt-return yards and 25 kickoff-return yards.
This season, Criniti has continued to impact the game in multiple ways. Through 10 games, he has 13 receptions for 317 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 24.4 yards per catch. He has also rushed five times for 34 yards and a touchdown, while collecting 66 punt-return yards.
Defensively, he has three interceptions for 37 return yards, tying him for the Northern Indiana Conference lead. One of his best outings came against South Bend Riley on October 2, when he finished with 12 tackles, four tackles for loss and a forced fumble in a 28-6 win.
Criniti’s FBS offers included Army and Central Michigan, but after first choosing the Chippewas, he found a way to get even closer to home. For Notre Dame, it’s the kind of commitment that gives the weekend an immediate lift.
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