Notre Dame football has recruited the secondary at an elite level over the last several recruiting cycles, and the 2027 class is no exception. The Fighting Irish currently hold commitments from top-100 cornerback Xavier Hasan, Ace Alston, and safeties Zayden Gamble and John Gay III.

Head coach Marcus Freeman and his staff wanted to add one more defensive back to an already talented group, and four-star Manvel (Texas) prospect Karnell “Greedy” James has been the primary target on the board for weeks. It now appears, however, that LSU is the front-runner to land James when he announces his decision on Thursday.

James’ recruitment and Notre Dame’s pitch

James has been committed to the Texas Longhorns for months, a logical fit given his ties to the Lone Star State. That hasn’t stopped Notre Dame and LSU from making aggressive pushes over the last couple of months to flip the talented defensive back.

The Fighting Irish brought James to South Bend for both an unofficial and official visit this offseason, and by all accounts, Notre Dame did a strong job selling the fit. While most recruiting platforms list James as a safety, the Irish actually viewed him as a potential outside cornerback with the flexibility to play multiple spots in the secondary. That kind of positional versatility made him an appealing target for a program that has developed defensive backs at a high level under Freeman.

Unfortunately for Notre Dame, James has ties to the state of Louisiana, where he grew up. That connection has given LSU head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff a significant advantage down the stretch of this recruitment.

That isn’t much of a surprise for those who have followed this recruitment. I have written multiple times that I felt LSU had the upper hand because of his roots in Louisiana.

Where James ranks as a prospect

James is considered a four-star player on the 247Sports Composite ranking. He sits as the No. 282 overall player, the No. 24 safety, and the No. 43 player from the state of Texas for the 2027 recruiting class. On the individual 247Sports ranking, James checks in as the No. 87 overall player in the class and has been rising steadily throughout the offseason.

With a commitment date set for July 2, James will either reaffirm his pledge to Texas or flip to Notre Dame or LSU. Barring something unforeseen, it appears LSU holds the firm hand heading into Thursday’s decision.

What this means for both programs

For Notre Dame, this would be a disappointing miss on a player the staff invested considerable time and effort into pursuing. That said, the Irish secondary class remains in excellent shape. Hasan, Alston, Gamble, and Gay III form a talented group that continues the strong secondary development in South Bend. Whether the staff pivots to another defensive back target remains to be seen.

For LSU, landing James would be a significant addition as the Tigers continue to rebuild their secondary. Kiffin’s program should already have one of the better secondaries in college football in 2026, but this recruitment is about building for the foreseeable future. James’ versatility and rising trajectory make him exactly the type of player who can contribute for years in Baton Rouge.

The next 24 hours will tell the full story. While Notre Dame made a very real push, LSU appears poised to close this one out.