Recruit Spotlight: A Conversation With C/O 2028 RB Xander Edwards
- Bruce Straughan
- Jun 24
- 5 min read
Notre Dame hosted a multitude of talented athletes from the 2027 and 2028 classes for their annual Irish Invasion camp. Many recruits were on campus that weekend, and one of them was Xander Edwards. Edwards is a C/O 2028 running back at Bolles High School in Jacksonville, Florida, where he competes in both football and lacrosse.
Photo via Xander Edwards
Xander is the son of former Notre Dame captain and fullback Marc Edwards. Marc played for the Fighting Irish from 1993-1996 and was named a captain for his senior season. During the 1995 season, following his team’s upset victory against then #5 USC, Edwards became the second ever Notre Dame player to be carried off the field by his teammates, the first being Rudy during the 1975 season. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft with the 55th overall pick. He went on to win Super Bowl XXXVI with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots before retiring from the NFL in 2005 after stops with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cleveland Browns.
Xander is proving to be a very talented football player in his own right. In his freshman season, he had 78 carries for 558 yards and 8 TDs on 7.2 yards per carry. He also hauled in 4 receptions for 46 yards. Ninety percent of Xander’s stats came in just the final 6 games of the season after one of the starting running backs suffered an injury that ended their regular season. Xander stepped in and went on to become the top running back on his team at the end of the regular season.
Being a very talented young player and a Notre Dame legacy, I wanted to find out more about the gifted young running back. I reached out to Xander to find out about his recruitment, growing up with a Notre Dame Captain and Super Bowl-winning dad, his experience at this year's Irish Invasion, and more.
I was curious to see how the early recruiting process was going for Xander and his family, as it really has started to pick up as he attends more and more camps. For Xander, it’s been very exciting while picking up early offers from schools such as USF, SMU, Pitt, and Syracuse.
"The recruitment process so far for me and my family has been going great. The summer going into my freshman year of high school, I picked up my first offer from USF after attending their camp. I had a solid freshman football season, and in January, recruitment really started to heat up. I earned six more offers, including SMU, Pitt, Syracuse, and I've now talked to over 20 schools, including Notre Dame. I’m just starting to compete in some camps, and I've already been to Clemson and Notre Dame. I will be hitting a few more in the next week or two leading up to the season."
So what was it like growing up as the son of a former Notre Dame Football captain and Super Bowl champion? For Xander, that was where his love for football started.
"My dad was the reason I wanted to play football. It’s very helpful to learn from him since he has already lived my dream. He knows what’s best for me and what to do during my recruiting process. I’m lucky to be able to talk to somebody who has been through what I’m experiencing."
As you can imagine, especially with Xander's background, he's been to Notre Dame a lot growing up for games, but he's now been to two camps, including most recently Irish Invasion, showcasing his skills for the staff. What was it like for him to be there as a potential future recruit and not just visiting for games?
"My visit to ND was amazing. It gets better and better each time I go up there. They have some of the best coaches in the country, and I am lucky to have worked with them and learned from them. I got to compete against high-level competition at Irish Invasion, and it brought the best out in me. I was also happy and honored that I got to meet Coach Ja'Juan Seider, one of the best running back coaches in the country. Just talking to him, I can tell he's a coach I would love to play for."
What was Xander's favorite part of this year's Irish Invasion Camp?
"I loved the competition aspect of the camp. The coaches really emphasized that we are here to compete. My favorite part of the visit was the grill and chill after the camp. I loved how they emphasized life after football because football will always end for everybody. I also liked how the coaches and recruiting department took care of the recruits. I was able to talk with some ND coaches and get feedback about my performance at the camp. They were helping me get better."
Recruitment starts and ends with the relationships that are built between the recruit/player and the coaches. Although Xander is just beginning to build those relationships with the Notre Dame coaches, he's enjoying the time he's spent with them so far.
"I'm really just starting to build those relationships with the coaches. I got to meet and spend time with the running backs Coach, Ja'Juan Seider, the day before the camp. Then I got to work with Coach Trent Miles at the camp and got good feedback about my skills and how I could improve. I also had a great conversation with the DL Coach Al Washington. I really appreciated all the time the coaches took to speak with me and give me advice."
Getting an offer from any D1 school is special for any recruit, but for Xander, an offer from Notre Dame would mean the world to him for multiple reasons.
"A Notre Dame offer would mean the world to me because they are very selective in the players they offer. ND just doesn’t take anyone… You have to fit the football, educational, and cultural profile to be right for this place. It would show that my hard work and dedication are paying off on and off the field."
So what's next for Xander? And will he be visiting Notre Dame again anytime soon?
"Nothing solid right now, but I will likely hit a game or two in the fall. It will most likely be a night game, as I would have to fly up Saturday morning due to playing football on Friday nights. But I will be visiting in the winter or spring after the season for sure. I can't wait to get back on campus soon."
Being that Notre Dame is a school that was founded on faith, it doesn't come as a surprise when it plays a factor in a recruit's decision to want to go there. For Xander, this rings true with him and plays a big role in his decision to want to continue his football career at the next level.
"Faith plays a big role in my decision. I love how ND takes faith very seriously. I love how, before every game, they go to mass at the Basilica and do the walk to the stadium. I got to see that as a recruit last year at the FSU game. And my dad told me all about it from his time at ND. It's just so special there and unlike anywhere else I've been."
As you can tell, Xander Edwards is a very talented and humble young man who knows exactly what he wants when it comes to his future, and that's to be a part of the Fighting Irish Football Program. We at The Irish Tribune would like to wish Xander good luck on his journey to the next level.
Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun
Comments