LSU QB commit Walker Howard 'excited' about Notre Dame official visit

Notre Dame has been hoping to get Lafayette (La.) St. Thomas More four-star quarterback Walker Howard on campus for weeks.

It looks like that visit is finally coming together – at an interesting time in the recruiting cycle.

On3 National Analyst Chad Simmons confirmed Thursday that Howard, a longtime LSU commit, will make an official visit to South Bend this weekend Fighting Irish’s rivalry game against USC. News of the expected visit was first reported on Wednesday by Tom Loy of 247 Sports.

“I’ll be going on an official this weekend to Notre dame and spending the weekend,” Howard told Simmons. “I have been in touch with (offensive coordinator) Tommy Rees a good bit lately and excited to go visit.

“This will be my second time there. I visited once after my freshman year.”

The news comes three days after the Tigers announced head coach Ed Orgeron will not return following the conclusion of the 2021 season.

Howard was originally supposed to visit Notre Dame on Oct. 2 for the Fighting Irish’s top-10 matchup against Cincinnati. However, he did not make the trip after breaking his left leg in a high school game the night before.

The injury is expected to sideline him for four to six weeks. Howard’s father, former LSU starting quarterback Jamie Howard, told the Daily Advertiser he expects his son to play again this season.

He was on an unofficial visit to Baton Rouge last Thursday.

Walker Howard is top QB talent

Walker Howard, a 6-foot-1 signal-caller, is the No. 66 overall recruit in the 2022 On300 rankings and the seventh-best quarterback in the class.

He is a key part of the recruiting class Orgeron has built in the 2022 cycle, along with Bogart (Ga.) Oconee County tight end Jake Johnson and Lake Charles (La.) Lake Charles Prep running back Trevonte’ Citizen.

But with Orgeron leaving and LSU’s inconsistent play on the field this season, the class has the potential to shatter over the next couple of weeks.

New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr four-star wide receiver Aaron Anderson — the No. 114 overall recruit in the On300 – has already decommitted. There are rumblings Auburn is making a major push for Citizen. Howard and Monroe (La.) Neville four-star offensive lineman Will Campbell were already listed on On3’s list of potential flips before the Orgeron news – albeit at low percentages.

Notre Dame has a jam-packed recruiting class at 21 commits, including Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic three-star quarterback Steve Angeli.

Thirteen of those commits fall inside the On300 with Zionsville (Ind.) High offensive lineman Joey Tanona, Hilton Head Island (S.C.) Hilton Head linebacker Jaylen Sneed and St. Louis (Mo.) John Burroughs School defensive lineman Tyson Ford headlining the class.

If his flips, Howard would immediately become one of the most important players in Brian Kelly‘s recruiting class – especially with the Fighting Irish’s inconsistent play at quarterback this season.

Howard part of big visit weekend for Notre Dame

Five-star defensive lineman Anthony Lucas of Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral is the headliner of a long list of top visitors this weekend at Notre Dame. Lucas, who was at LSU this past weekend and will be at Alabama in a couple of weeks, will return to South Bend after taking an official visit on June 11.

But Howard and Lucas aren’t the only big name coming in for Notre Dame.

On300 defensive lineman Hero Kanu of Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Santa Margarita Catholic will be on his official visit after returning from an impressive trip to Oklahoma last weekend.

Consensus three-star athlete Carson Tabaracci, who is moving up the charts quickly with recruiters, is also set to take an official visit to Notre Dame this weekend. Tabaracci of Park City, Utah, was on an official visit to in-state Utah last weekend.

Longtime Notre Dame commitment and On300 linebacker Joshua Burnham of Traverse City (Mich.) Central will also take his official visit this weekend.

Also scheduled for an unofficial visit is On300 safety Xavier Nwankpa of Altoona (Iowa) Southeast Polk. On300 IOL Billy Schrauth of Fond Du Lac (Wis.) St. Mary’s Springs will also be in South Bend. Intel says he’s leaning heavily toward the Irish and a commitment could come after this weekend.

Here’s a more complete look at the Notre Dame visit weekend.