When Notre Dame landed the commitment of 5-star offensive guard Albert Simien, the pledge defied the odds, according to many analysts. Perhaps because the Irish weren’t really expected to score the Louisiana prospect, there’s also been some pretty strong talk about the possibility of him eventually flipping his commitment ahead of December.
Anyone who wants to claim that Simien might be having second thoughts should really talk to the hulking lineman themselves. Such was the case with Rivals’ Mike Singer, who did talk to the Cajun Country star. During that conversation, Simien told Singer there wasn’t any way he was playing in 2027 anywhere but South Bend.
“I’m very confident in my decision,” Simien said while making it clear he plans to come to campus a couple of times this fall. “If Notre Dame isn’t playing, I’m not watching. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
While rival coaches are unlikely to accept his comments as the end of the story, it’s clear that the Fighting Irish commit isn’t having anything close to second thoughts. That’s even though it’s a sure bet schools like LSU are still coming hard after him and trying to get him to change his mind.
Albert Simien shuts down Notre Dame football flip speculation
The 6-foot-4, 295-pound 5-star interior offensive lineman from Sam Houston High School (Lake Charles, LA) committed to the Fighting Irish on June 26. Almost immediately after he pulled the trigger, schools ramped up their efforts to get him to change his mind.
Simien is ranked as the No. 14 player in the 2027 class, the No. 2 player at his interior offensive lineman position, and the No. 2 player in the state of Louisiana according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.
In addition to Notre Dame, the big man has offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Florida, Florida State, Houston, Lamar, Liberty, LSU, McNeese State, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, SMU, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UTEP and West Virginia, among others.
Although Simien is from Louisiana, he did not grow up in a pro-LSU household. He did not grow up watching LSU football. There was no allegiance to the program. That’s a big reason why he visited Texas A&M roughly 10 times over the last couple of years, far more than he ever visited LSU, the home-state program just a couple of hours away.
It’s also why Notre Dame not only had a foot in the door from the very beginning but also why they were able to gain Albert Simien’s commitment and why it’s clear they’re not going to lose him.
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