Albert Simien already knew what Notre Dame could offer academically and athletically.
The elite 2027 Louisiana offensive lineman’s final official visit of the process wasn't about learning more about the University. It was about learning more about the people.
Coming out of that final trip to South Bend last weekend, Simien had found the answer he needed and announced his commitment to Notre Dame over other finalists Texas A&M, LSU, Nebraska and Ole Miss on Friday.
Simien is the 21st member of the Irish’s 2027 recruiting class and the fifth offensive lineman, joining Richie Flanigan, James Halter, Jackson Hill and Oluwasemilore Olubobola.
He’s also one of the biggest overall additions in the class after a recruitment that came down to two familiar contenders, the Irish and Texas A&M. While LSU generated some late buzz following a coaching change, the race consistently centered around Notre Dame and the Aggies heading into the final month.
His official visit to Notre Dame gave him the opportunity to spend extended time with the coaches, current players and future teammates who could soon become part of his everyday life.
"I got to spend more time with the coaches, see the facilities and be around the players,” he told us afterward. “It felt more personal this time and gave me a better feel for the program.
"Being around the OL commits was cool. They seem like a great group and I could see myself fitting in."
Head coach Marcus Freeman and offensive line coach Joe Rudolph reinforced many of the same themes they had emphasized throughout the recruitment.
"Coach Freeman and Coach Rudolph talked a lot about development and building strong relationships,” he said.
The Irish didn’t need to sell the Sam Houston High School standout on the University as much as they needed to make him feel comfortable within the program.
"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 prior to that visit.
He had already checked off the other boxes.
"On my other visits, I kind of got a good feel of the campus and the academic side of Notre Dame," Simien said.
Relationships had become one of the biggest priorities as Simien moved closer to making his decision.
Freshman offensive lineman Ben Nichols gave him an early glimpse of the type of people Notre Dame attracts after the two built a relationship while playing together in the 2026 Under Armour All-American Bowl.
"Getting along with people, level-headed people like Ben, is just super easy," Simien said. "It's just finding people with similar thought processes as me."
He found the people he was looking for and in the end, that proved to be the final piece of the puzzle.
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