Karnell “Greedy” James committed to Texas about six months ago. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, Notre Dame and a couple of other Power 4 programs could be shaking his faith in that commitment.
James went to see what the Fighting Irish have to offer up close and personal during an unofficial visit back in mid-April. While James stayed committed to the Longhorns after that visit to South Bend, continued pressure from Marcus Freeman’s squad, as well as programs like Ohio State, has started to drive a wedge between the Longhorns and the 3-star defensive back out of Manvel, Texas.
Back in May, James reportedly told On3 that schools, including Notre Dame, were starting to creep up on Steve Sarkisian and Texas. At that time, the Irish, along with Ohio State and LSU, were all hard-charging after the talented DB.
When James was asked whether he was close to deciding to seriously explore other programs rather than staying committed to Texas, he offered an opinion that was far from reassuring to Longhorns fans.
Greedy James recruitment shows Notre Dame football can threaten Texas commit
"It’s been insanely hard to separate them," James said about the Ohio State Buckeyes, LSU Tigers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Texas Longhorns.
If it was hard for Sarkisian to keep James on board before, it might be next to impossible now. The defensive back, who is rated as the No. 41 safety and the No. 62 player in the state of Texas by the Rivals Industry Rating, is planning several visits in June, including to South Bend.
The UT commit was at LSU this past weekend and then will make an official visit to Notre Dame on June 12. He’ll wrap up his official visits by going to Austin on June 19.
James might not be one of the most highly rated defensive backs in the class, but it’s clear that coaches are seeing something well worth pursuing. The safety prospect has seen his offer list continue to expand, even after committing to the Longhorns last December. Some of his top offers include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, LSU, Florida, Texas A&M, Florida State, Texas Tech, Utah, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, TCU, Arizona State, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Houston, Baylor, Cal, SMU, Wisconsin, Oregon State, and Washington State, among others.
One reason why he stands out despite being “only” a 3-star prospect is that he’s not only an ace defender but quite the weapon on special teams. As a junior in 2025, James recorded 53 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 6 pass breakups. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound DB also recovered a fumble while returning 3 punts for touchdowns.
James has even talked like someone who isn’t committed to Texas. He’s told numerous analysts that he will announce a final commitment once he’s taken his official visits. Granted, he’s also said that doesn’t mean he’ll pull the trigger right after his trip to Austin.
If Notre Dame wants to win this recruiting battle and add Greedy James to a recruiting class that is already one of the best in the country, the fight could go all the way down to early National Signing Day.
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