Notre Dame football making push for Texas linebacker by making him feel important

Notre Dame football is searching far and wide, north and south for the best players out there to make the Fighting Irish just a little bit better. It should surprise no one that the search includes the state fo Texas, considering the repository of talent that resides in the Lonetate state.

According to Ryan Roberts of Irish Breakdown, the Notre Dame football program has been making an especially hard push for 2026 linebacker Kosi Akpala. It appears to be working in getting the Fighting Irish to at least get a look from a recruit who most recruiting analysts believe will be headed to Houston or Texas Tech for his college ball.

Okpala was offered by Notre Dame during the Pot of Gold event on St. Patrick's Day, and since then, the linebacker and the staff have been talking often and trying to build a relationship.

"My early impressions are that it’s a great school in both academics and football,” Okpala told Roberts. "I was very excited about them offering me a few months ago, and am so happy to be building a bond with the staff. Our relationship has been great. They always are checking up on me and making Notre Dame feel like home.”

Notre Dame football feels like home for sought-after Texas linebacker

Kosi Okpala has received 23 scholarship offers already, despite not being able to sign a Letter of Intent until December of 2025 at the earliest. 

In addition to Notre Dame, Okpala has received offers from Alabama, Baylor, Duke, Houston, Houston Christian, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, SMU, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, USC, and UTEP among others.

Because of that, the Fighting Irish are fighting for ways to stand out. Getting him to take a visit this summer would be a massive step in that direction. For now, he hasn't set that up but it's a safe bet Notre Dame football coaches are efforting that.