When Brian Kelly fled Notre Dame for LSU, few could've imagined how well the move would pan out for one side, but not the other. Next season, Brian Kelly will be calling Mountain West Football games while Marcus Freeman will have a National Championship contender. A big reason for the success of the Fighting Irish has been Freeman's success on the recruiting trail.
The notion around Notre Dame was always that the Fighting Irish couldn't beat the likes of Alabama in the College Football Playoff because they didn't have the same level of playmakers on the outside. Freeman has started to shift that narrative, but he's also only made Notre Dame stronger on the line of scrimmage which has always been a strength.
Marcus Freeman adds another 5-star to absurd recruiting haul
On Friday Afternoon, Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame got more good news as 5-star offensive lineman Albert Simien picked the Fighting Irish over Texas A&M and in-state LSU.
BREAKING: Five-Star IOL Albert Simien has Committed to Notre Dame, he tells me for @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 26, 2026
The 6’4 315 IOL chose the Fighting Irish over LSU, Texas A&M, and Nebraska
He’s ranked as the No. 10 Recruit in the 2027 Rivals300 ☘️https://t.co/CDndUmF4O3 pic.twitter.com/ooi3ZiENKl
The win for Marcus Freeman is massive as Notre Dame truly came out of nowhere to win out for the commitment. Texas A&M was seen as the frontrunner for most of this recruitment while you couldn't count out LSU in a recruitment for a Louisiana Native. Instead, an official visit with Simien helped seal the deal for the Fighting Irish, as he'll play his college football in South Bend.
According to Rivals' Industry Recruiting Rankings, Albert Simien is a 5-star recruit ranked as the 20th ranked player in the country, the 2nd ranked interior offensive lineman in the class, and the 3rd ranked player out of Louisiana.
Marcus Freeman is building a truly absurd recruiting class on both sides of the line, and it'll only help his chances of winning a National Championship. Simien is the 3rd 5-star to commit to the Irish in the trenches joining offensive tackle Oluwasemilore Olubobola and edge rusher Abraham Sesay. The Irish also hold commitments from 4-star DL David Folorunsho, IOL James Halter, Defensive End Aidan O'Neil, Defensive End Jackson Vaughn, and IOL Richie Flanigan.
The Fighting Irish are building a monster on the recruiting trail, and the sky looks to be the limit for the Marcus Freeman era. This next season may be the Irish's best chance at winning a championship in a long time, but as long as Freeman keeps recruiting at this level, the Irish will have plenty of chances.
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