Where do things stand between Notre Dame and elite 2027 offensive line target Albert Simien? There's a lot on the line this weekend.
Notre Dame football is riding a ton of recruiting momentum following a tremendous official visitor weekend. In just a few days, head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish will be hosting several more key targets in the 2027 recruiting class. That includes Lake Charles (La.) Sam Houston 5-star offensive lineman Albert Simien .
The Simien recruitment has been a fascinating one to watch. Despite him being from Louisiana , Notre Dame and Texas A&M have been the programs viewed as the favorites for Simien. There have been, however, some conflicting reports recently.
Heading into Simien's visit to South Bend, what is the latest on this recruitment? Regardless of the other teams that are involved, Freeman, offensive line coach Joe Rudolph , and Notre Dame have a lot on the line this weekend. It's a massive opportunity in front of them.
For several weeks now, the Fighting Irish and Aggies have been the teams trending to land Simien. Rivals national recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong put out a new report on Tuesday stating that the LSU Tigers have been the school rising the most this spring. That goes against the latest Intel that I've received.
According to a source close to the Simien camp, LSU has been running in third place for the talented offensive lineman. He comes from a family that did not grow up loving LSU football, despite being from Louisiana. That has allowed Notre Dame and Texas A&M to seemingly separate themselves.
If Wiltfong's report is correct, this change occurred very recently. Perhaps he is correct, but it just isn't the same information that I have gathered. Only time will tell which of these schools will win out in the end.
Regardless of whether this LSU push is legitimate, Notre Dame still has the chance this weekend to surge to the top, and they could potentially close the deal. Rudolph, Freeman, and Co. have done a great job stressing fit and making Simien feel like a priority, which is a big reason why this will be his third visit to South Bend.
Notre Dame currently holds offensive line commits from Olu Olubobola , James Halter , Jackson Hill , and Richie Flanigan , which is already an impressive four-man class. If they can land Simien, it will be hard to argue that the Irish don't have the best overall haul in the 2027 recruiting class. This weekend will be extremely important in solidifying that talented group.
Simien is considered at least a four-star and a top-50 overall player by each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Simien currently ranks as a five-star, the No. 13 overall player, the No. 2 interior offensive lineman, and the No. 2 player from the state of Louisiana for the 2027 recruiting class. This is an elite talent.
Just like his recruiting rankings, Simien's offer list is elite. Some of the top programs that have offered him include the Fighting Irish, Alabama , LSU, Michigan , Florida , Oregon , Oklahoma , Texas A&M, Tennessee , Ole Miss, Auburn, Florida State , Nebraska , TCU, West Virginia , Arkansas , UNC, Baylor, SMU, and Houston, among others.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: The latest on Notre Dame's push for 5-star Albert Simien heading into a make-or-break official visitor weekend
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