Notre Dame makes strong impression on Rivals’ No. 1 IOL Albert Simien

Lake Charles (La.) Sam Houston’s Albert Simien has been a top player on Notre Dame’s wish list in the 2027 class since the Irish staff offered him for Pot of Gold Day back in March.

The Irish staff has treated him like a priority for the past several months, and they finally got the elite prospect on campus for a visit. Simien, who is the No. 31 overall player and No. 2 interior offensive lineman in America per the 2027 Rivals Industry Ranking, visited this past Saturday to see the Irish knock off NC State.

“I’ve heard a lot about Notre Dame and how great it is,” he told Blue & Gold. “I wanted to see what they were about in person and get a feel for the program.

Simien’s high school team played last Thursday night, allowing him to get up to the Midwest on Friday and have the full visit experience on Saturday.

“My family and I had a good time,” Simien said. “I enjoyed being at the game with the other recruits and commits. I also enjoyed spending time with the players.”

The Notre Dame offensive line played well in the Irish’s 36-7 victory, especially when it came to protecting star quarterback CJ Carr.

“I thought the game was great,” continued Simien. “Notre Dame really came together and dominated on both sides of the ball. I like how Coach [Joe] Rudolph put together the offensive line.”

Simien’s first South Bend trip was a big success, and the Fighting Irish will be a major contender in his recruitment moving forward.

“I really like Notre Dame and how they could elevate me as a player and a person,” he said. “I enjoyed the visit.”

“I think very highly of the coaching and recruiting staff. Coach Rudolph and Coach [Marcus] Freeman were great and explained the culture and expectations of the program. I appreciated the time they took with me and my family. Also, the assistants and recruiters were great.”

Prior to his Notre Dame visit, Simien, who ranks as the No. 10 overall prospect and No. 1 interior offensive lineman nationally per Rivals’ own rankings, spoke highly about Notre Dame heading into the trip.

“The last few months with Coach Freeman and the Notre Dame staff have been really solid,” Simien told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman. “They’ve stayed in touch and kept pushing me to keep working — to focus on my development, sharpen my technique, and keep the right mindset heading into next season. You can tell they really care about helping their players grow the right way on and off the field.

“What really stands out to me about Notre Dame is how much they value offensive line play. That’s a big part of their identity, and you can see how they develop guys the right way. On top of that, the academics are elite. I’m especially interested in their psychology program, and I like how they balance football and school.”

Texas A&M, LSU and Nebraska are considered major contenders for Simien, who also holds offers from the likes of Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, Florida State, Ole Miss, Tennessee and others.