The finish line is finally in sight for Albert Simien.
The 2027 Louisiana offensive lineman has already taken official visits to LSU, Texas A&M and Nebraska. This weekend, he'll make his final official visit before turning his attention toward a decision.
Notre Dame gets the last word.
The Sam Houston High School standout returns to South Bend with a strong understanding of what Notre Dame offers academically and athletically. This weekend, Simien will be looking for a deeper understanding of the people he could potentially spend the next few years with.
"Just getting there to see the recruits and the current players at Notre Dame, kind of get a vibe for how they're feeling on the upcoming season and just how Notre Dame is really," Simien told Irish Sports Daily.
The 6-foot-4, 285-pounder doesn’t need to learn much about football or academics at Notre Dame.
"On my other visits, I kind of got a good feel of the campus and the academic side of Notre Dame,” said Simien, who has made multiple unofficial visits to South Bend. “I'm kind of good on that part. Now, it's just to get a feel for the people."
That has become one of the most important parts of the process as Simien moves closer to making a final decision.
Freshman offensive lineman Ben Nichols is one current Notre Dame player who has provided Simien with a preview of sorts of what to expect from the people within the program. Simien and Nichols have been close since playing in an all-star game together and reconnecting on other recruiting visits.
"Getting along with people, level-headed people like Ben, is just super easy,” said Simien. "It's just finding people with similar thought processes as me."
This weekend will give him a chance to determine whether that same feeling extends throughout Notre Dame's locker room and recruiting class.
"Just find out more about the people there and just get a real feel for everyone's character," Simien said. "Those are people that you're going to be with every day, so you want to be comfortable within your own environment."
Notre Dame's coaches have consistently emphasized that point throughout the recruitment.
Head coach Marcus Freeman and offensive line coach Joe Rudolph continue stressing how well the University aligns with who he is as a student and as a person.
"Just that I'll enjoy campus and that Notre Dame is a fit for the kind of person I am," Simien said of the message from Freeman and Rudolph.
"And just getting to see the outside of football and seeing everything else that goes into South Bend."
Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Peter Millar Pine Performance Hoodie
