Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish star in heated battle and intends to make the Denver Broncos regret a 2025 NFL Draft decision

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish star running Audric Estime is coming off of a pretty quiet rookie season with the Denver Broncos. A fifth round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Estime missed the first four games of the season while dealing with an ankle injury. In total, the New Jersey native managed to rush for just 310 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. 

Despite the limited opportunities, Estime did flash at times during the 2024 NFL season. With leading rusher Javonte Williams leaving for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, there was some optimism that Estime could earn a much bigger role in 2025. That optimism was compromised when the Broncos spent a second round pick on former UCF star RJ Harvey during the 2025 NFL Draft.

The 5-7, 200-pound runner is coming off of a tremendous career with the Golden Knights. During his five years with the team, Harvey managed to rush for 3,792 yards and 43 touchdowns. He added another 720 yards and four scores on 61 career receptions in the passing game. 

While Harvey will play a major role in 2025 barring injury, Estime isn’t going to let him take the lead back role easily. At 5-11 and 230 pounds, Estime brings a unique play style that the Broncos don’t have on the roster. Along with Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, and Blake Walton, Harvey is also a smaller back that could struggle to carry a big load on early downs. That’s where Estime has a chance to make himself stand out. 

While Estime doesn’t have the best long speed of all time, he is an extremely physical running back with underrated feet. There’s a reason that he managed to rush for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns during his final season with the Notre Dame program in 2023. Estime is also three years younger than Harvey, so there is still some developmental upside to work with there. 

It wouldn’t be overly shocking to Fighting Irish fans out there to see Estime earn a substantial role this upcoming season. While some expect Harvey to become to main fixture in the backfield, there’s a chance that they become a formidable duo for years to come. This could be the new version of thunder and lighting under head coach Sean Payton.