What is it with Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame in trying to prevent the Tennessee football team from bringing legacy playmakers to Knoxville? As most of you already know, Notre Dame is working hard to land linebacker Cooper Witten, the son of UT legend Jason Witten.
He's not the only 2027 playmaker that Freeman and his staff have their eyes on. Notre Dame is also working hard to make an early impression with Kenneth Simon, whose father Kevin was a linebacker for the Vols in the early 2000s.
In an interview with reporter Kyle Kelly, Simon didn't hold back in letting everyone know what the offer from Notre Dame meant to him. If anything, it has made people believe that the Irish may be the current leaders for him, though Simon hasn't announced any top schools:
Notre Dame LBs coach Max Bullough sent out an offer to Tennessee legacy recruit Kenneth Simon II 👀
— Kyle Kelly (@ByKyleKelly) August 6, 2025
"I have a couple of big ones, but this is by far the biggest one I’ve had." ☘️
More from one of the fastest rising 2027 recruits in the Volunteer State: https://t.co/YK8mgDjNN9 pic.twitter.com/VNYhLD0loe
Tennessee will have to work overtime to land safety Kenneth Simon over Notre Dame
That's a bit concerning if you're a Tennessee fan, but keep in mind that the Vols are still considered the favorites to land him. Multiple times, Simon has said that it has always been his dream to follow in his father's footsteps and play for the Vols at the next level.
At the same time, the touted defensive back has also said that he's going to be open minded with his recruitment and listen to other schools that show him interest. Clearly, the Irish have strong interest in the 6-2, 200-pounder who is a playmaker for Brentwood Academy in Tennessee.
Throughout his recruitment, Simon has picked up offers from Tennessee, Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss and others - he holds 21 scholarships to his name this cycle. With him being an in-state product, it adds even more pressure for Josh Heupel to win this recruiting battle.
There's also pressure to bring in Cooper Witten, who is one of the top LBs in the country for his class. The good thing is that legacy JP Peace is already on board for '27, but Heupel wants others to join him. Will Simon and Cooper Witten end up pledging to the Vols like Peace did? Fans sure hope so.