Notre Dame football’s push to flip a top recruit from the SEC just got a little more difficult, but it’s closing time
Notre Dame is pushing to flip a talented commit from the SEC. The latest could make things a bit more difficult for the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame football is set to kick off its official visits this weekend. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish will host several of their top 2027 recruiting targets on June 12-14. That includes Manvel (Texas) High School star Karnell “Greedy” James, one of the more interesting defensive recruits on the board.
Currently committed to the Texas Longhorns, James has become a highly sought-after flip candidate for multiple programs in recent months, including Notre Dame and LSU. James just spent this past weekend in Baton Rouge visiting with head coach Lane Kiffin and the Tigers. By all accounts, LSU made a strong move for the Lone Star standout, and things are trending quickly with their flip attempt.
James was originally a native of Louisiana and still has family in the state, according to Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman. LSU has firmly cemented itself as the top flip candidate along with Notre Dame. That puts a lot more pressure on the Irish this weekend during his official visit to South Bend.
The timing of the official visit does work in Notre Dame’s favor. LSU won’t be easy to beat, and it’s always possible that James ends up just sticking with Texas, but the Irish staff is putting their foot on the gas. With a big official visit, I believe they can get this one done.
Notre Dame already has the makings of an elite 2027 secondary class. They currently hold commitments from Xavier Hasan, Ace Alston, John Gay III, and Zayden Gamble. James, along with another target or two, is viewed as the final touch to a tremendous group.
Karnell “Greedy” James’ recruiting background
From a recruiting rankings perspective, James isn’t going to blow anyone away. He is currently considered to be a three-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms, the exception being 247 Sports, which has him rated as the No. 26 safety in the class.
On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, James is currently pegged as the No. 477 overall player, the No. 47 safety, and the No. 64 player from the state of Texas for the 2027 recruiting class. When you consider his offer list and overall talent, the ranking for James does leave some pretty puzzled, even if his rankings have been trending upward.
James has seen his offer list continue to expand, even after being committed to the Longhorns on December 3 of last year. Some of his top offers include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, LSU, Florida, Texas A&M, Florida State, Texas Tech, Utah, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, TCU, Arizona State, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Houston, Baylor, Cal, SMU, Wisconsin, Oregon State, and Washington State, among others.
As a junior, James put together a tremendous season for Manvel. In 12 games, the 6-0, 175-pound cover man managed to collect 53 total tackles, two interceptions, and six pass breakups. James also recovered a fumble while returning two punts for touchdowns. This is a fast and fluid athlete who possesses a ton of upside.