Notre Dame Football: Irish claim their first RB of the 2012 Class

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish received outstanding news late Friday night when four-star running back Will Mahone of Youngstown, Ohio committed to the Irish.

This marks the first commitment in a big position of need. Mahone is a very talented back and is rated as the 10th-best running back in the country by Scout.com.

This young prospect is 6-foot-0, 205 lbs, and will have a very solid opportunity to receive playing time as a true freshman.

With one running back on board, who will the Irish continue to target?

Keivarae Russell: Mariner High School, Washington

Russell is a very quick and productive back, and just recently he has announced he will be among the many recruits for the USC game.

His recruiter is Mike Denbrock, and Brian Kelly announced on his radio show that several coaches were making a trip to the west coast. You would have to believe that Denbrock is taking a visit to see Russell in action.

The Irish have a real shot at him, and they will have to battle the likes of Boise State, California, USC and in-state Washington for his services.

My guess is that the official visit will go a long way in landing him. At the moment, Notre Dame is the only team he is planning to visit, which bodes well for the Irish.

Byron Marshall: Valley Christian Schools, California

Byron Marshall is also another west coast product that the Irish have their eyes on. This young running back is 5-foot-10, 195 lbs, and has plenty of speed that would be ideal for Kelly’s spread offense.

Marshall has a top six of ND, Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona State and USC. Marshall has a brother that plays for Arizona State, so this prospect could prove difficult to gain a commitment from.

However, he has recently said that the Irish are in good standing, and he is working on setting up a visit to South Bend. My guess is he will be among the many recruits for the USC game, and if not, the coaching staff will likely to try to set a visit for after his season.

Bottom line, it will be tough to get him off the West Coast. However, at the moment, the Irish have a decent shot.

Dami Ayoola: Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Florida

Ayoola is a bit under the radar, and he is a three star according to Scout.com.

This player plays for one of the elite programs in the country, and is surrounded by talent, which makes it difficult to stand out.

However this 5-foot-10,195 pound player has plenty of moves and is very elusive out of the backfield. He holds offers from several big name programs, and it appears his top two is Notre Dame and Illinois.

He scheduled a visit for the USC game. My guess is the Irish will have him if they want him, but they may wait and try and grab a higher-rated prospect.

Keith Marshall: Millbrook HS, Raleigh, North Carolina

No surprise here. Marshall is one of the elite prospects in the country and is the No.1 rated running back by nearly every recruiting website.

He has said he will only consider programs that he officially visits, and that puts the Irish in good standing.

He is currently favoring Notre Dame, Florida, Georgia and possibly Alabama. He will be making his visit for the USC game, and this will be a big chance for the coaching staff to wow him.

This player is lightning fast and he runs the 40-yard dash in the 4.3 range. He would fit perfectly in the offense, and the coaching staff told him to watch how they used Cierre Wood this season.

Needless to say, Wood has had a very solid year thus far, and Marshall said he was not deterred by the 0-2 start.

This young man has said he wants to enroll early, which would mean his decision needs to come in the next few months.

One thing to keep an eye on in this recruiting battle will be Mark Richt in Georgia. If this coach loses his job, my guess is he is a lock for ND.