Among the top targets for the Notre Dame football team in the 2027 class is Karnell "Grady" James. The catch, when it comes to luring the safety to South Bend, is that he's already committed to the Texas Longhorns.
Marcus Freeman and company are making some headway in pulling James away from the SEC school now that he's scheduled an official visit. In talking to Rivals' analyst Kyle Kelly, he made it clear the Fighting Irish caught his eye.
"Notre Dame is a huge program," James told Kelly. And now the Fighting Irish need to press what looks to be a growing advantage.
Grady James's official visit gives Notre Dame football a real shot at flipping a Texas commit
James checks in at 6-foot-0, 170 pounds, and comes with a three-star rating according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
His overall rankings won't jump off the page at you, as he's listed as the 59th best safety in the class, and 629th overall player according to the same rankings.
However, a look at the programs that have offered him a scholarship speaks to an elite-level player. Not only have Texas and Notre Dame clearly extended offers, but Arizona State, Baylor, Florida, Missouri, Kentucky, and Texas A&M have also extended offers.
Flipping Greedy James won't be an easy task. He committed to Texas in December, and for now, he's still considered a hard commit to the Longhorns. However, getting him to come to South Bend has to be seen as a big step in the right direction.
Should Notre Dame eventually land the safety, Freeman could add him to a 2027 recruiting class that already has some serious talent.