Springfield's explosive back, Isaiah Rogers, showcases elite athleticism and a 4.0 GPA. Discover why the Fighting Irish landed this top-ranked four-star talent.
Notre Dame landed another talented commitment with running back Isaiah Rogers pledging to the Irish. Rogers is a talented runner that fits extremely well into the Notre Dame offense. Let's take a look at the commitment profile for Rogers.
ISAIAH ROGERS PROFILE
Hometown/High School: Springfield, Mass./Central
Height/Weight: 5-11, 205
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0
2025 Stats: 144 att., 1,125 yards, 8.1 YPC, 18 TD / 21 rec, 219 yards, 3 TD
Recruited By: Ja'Juan Seider
Offers: Notre Dame, Georgia, Penn State, Indiana, Michigan, Florida, Virginia Tech, Nebraska, Washington, Wisconsin, North Carolina, UCLA, Mississippi State, Syracuse, Boston College, Rutgers, Wake Forest, Maryland
RECRUITING RANKINGS
ESPN: 4-star - No. 146 overall - No. 9 RB
On3/Rivals: 4-star - No. 275 overall - No. 20 RB
247Sports: 4-star - No. 17 RB
On3 Consensus: 4-star - No. 197 overall - No. 10 RB
NOTRE DAME FIT
Notre Dame runs an offense that focuses on Midzone, Duo/Tight Zone and a Counter play that hits a lot more like a Power with backside blocking than a true counter. Notre Dame's backs have to be able to do damage between the tackles, but the Irish staff also clearly values backs that can be home run hitters. Rogers grades out very well in both areas. His game is built for the downhill, big play run game that Notre Dame has established in recent seasons. He can be a hammer if he needs to, but he's a big play waiting to happen, which is exactly what we've seen at RB for the Irish the last two seasons.
FILM ANALYSIS
Rogers has a great frame for the running back position, listed at 5-11 and anywhere from 190 to 205 pounds. He has a very thick lower half and a strong, athletic upper body frame. Rogers should have no problem getting to around 215 or more pounds while adding more burst and explosiveness as he gets stronger. He is built well, but there's still plenty of room for him to add muscle and strength to his upper body. There is no question that Rogers has the frame and power to be an every down back.
Notre Dame had home run weapons at running back the last two seasons, and that should continue with Rogers joining the backfield. Listed with a 100-meter dash time between 10.5 to 10.7, Rogers shows legit 4.4 caliber speed and big play ability. Rogers has an explosive initial burst, both out of his stance and when cutting vertically after getting into his track. Rogers also has elite acceleration, and if he gets a vertical crease or a step on the outside he is going to rip off a huge run.
Rogers is also a smooth athlete, and he looks effortless moving on the football field. He is a glider with easy movement skills, which masks how explosive he is as a ball carrier. At times his footwork can get him in trouble by narrowing his base, but when he keeps a normal base he shows impressive cutting ability, both behind the line and down the field. There's a suddenness to his game, but it can be harder to see that because of the smooth nature of his running style, which was just discussed. That suddenness and his burst are traits that make him a great fit for the Notre Dame run game.
I like Rogers' instincts for the position. He's a patient runner with top notch vision and anticipation skills. His timing is inconsistent, which can get him in trouble, but that is a footwork issue coming out of his stance. That means it's correctable, and as he works through that his ability to hit the hole with proper timing will be enhanced. When his timing is proper he's dynamic. His footwork needs to be more consistently efficient, which again is something that can be corrected relatively early. Rogers has good pass game traits (length, ball skills, tracks the ball well), but he'll need work as a route runner and with proper technique when taking on blocks.
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