LSU QB commit Walker Howard visiting Notre Dame this weekend

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 it finally coming together — at an interesting time in the recruiting cycle.

Tom Loy of 247 Sports reports that Howard, an LSU commit, will be in South Bend this weekend for the Fighting Irish’s rivalry game against USC. It will be an official visit.

The news comes two 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 a top-tier talent in the 2022 cycle

The 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 a key part of the recruiting class Orgeron has built in this last 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 play on the field lacking 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 Jeremy Crabtree’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.