College Football's No. 2 IOL Linked to Two National Powerhouses

These two SEC football programs are engaged in a recruiting battle for the No. 2 interior offensive line prospect in the class of 2027.

Tigers Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier 18 is sacked as LSU Tigers take on the Texas A&M Aggies. October 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; at Tiger Stadium. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The official visit period is leaving a few talent wells untapped in the 2027 college football recruiting cycle.

Many prospects in the class are announcing their commitments between stops on their official visit schedule. Additionally, much of the five-star talent in the class went ahead and committed prior to the official visit period.

Interior offensive lineman Albert Simien is one of the handful of uncommitted five-stars left in the class of 2027.

The 6-foot-3, 295-pounder from Lake Charles, Louisiana, ranks as the No. 2 interior offensive lineman, No. 3 prospect in Louisiana and No. 19 overall prospect in the class, per Rivals.

Following his junior season at Sam Houston High School, Simien participated in both the 2026 Under Armour All-America Game and Polynesian Bowl. He is a tri-sport athlete at Sam Houston, playing basketball and throwing shot put on the track and field team.

247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks referred to Simien as an "effective drive blocker who flashes power in his hands" and "not necessarily a ballerina in pass protection, but consistently stays in front of his matchup" in a scouting report from March.

Brooks' comparison for Simien is former Oregon and current Jacksonville Jaguars guard Emmanuel Pregnon.

As summer rolls on, the list of contenders for Simien's commitment is dwindling. Steve Wiltfong of Rivals reported on Tuesday that the battle for Simien is between the two SEC programs closest to his hometown of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

LSU

Dec 1, 2025; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The Tigers were the earliest college football program to offer Simien a scholarship in October of 2024, understanding the importance of keeping a blue-chip talent within state borders. Simien visited LSU for a pair of games in 2025 and took the first of his official visits there on April 17.

Four of LSU's 11 commits in its 2027 recruiting class are from the state of Louisiana, one of which came from a five-star tight end in Ahmad Hudson. The Tigers have also succeeded in recruiting interior offensive linemen; Terrance Smith, the No. 10 interior offensive line prospect in the class, committed to the Tigers on Monday.

Texas A&M

Nov 22, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko walks off the field after defeating the Samford Bulldogs 48-0 in a game at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images | Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images

The Aggies pitched their offer to Simien just over a week after LSU did in October of 2024. Simien visited Texas A&M for two games in 2025 and officially visited on May 28.

Texas A&M's class has been the talk of the recruiting trail in 2027, sitting at 22 commitments with 14 blue-chip pledges.

The Aggies hold a trio of commitments from blue-chip offensive tackles, including that of five-star Mark Matthews. Five-star offensive lineman Kennedy Brown, the No. 3 interior offensive lineman in the class, committed to the Aggies on April 26.