Tag: Dominick McKinley

LSU’s Colin Simmons loss offset by Dakorien Moore’s commitment

LSU lost out on Colin Simmons, but got the commitment of five-star receiver Dakorien Moore.

It was a busy week for LSU on the recruiting trail.

Last Friday came with a high and low. The Tigers gained a commitment from blue-chip running back [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag], but lost out on his Duncanville teammate [autotag]Colin Simmons[/autotag].

Before committing to Texas, Simmons was one of the top ranked recruits left on the board and would have solidified the top of LSU’s class. Now, LSU will hope for the commitment of [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] or it could be without a five-star for the first time since 2012.

The Simmons loss stung, especially because LSU led at points before Texas turned up the heat. But just a couple of days later, LSU got more good news. And again, it was out of Duncanville.

Five-star wide receiver [autotag]Dakorien Moore[/autotag] offered his pledge to LSU. A top 10 player nationally, he instantly became the top recruit in LSU’s 2025 class.

The timing was perfect for LSU. You’d like to have an elite recruit in every class, but at least LSU got a five-star to build around next cycle.

Despite the success in Season 1, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] is still laying the foundation at LSU. The top players in the 2024 class began their recruitments before Kelly arrived in Baton Rouge. LSU was always playing catch-up this year.

The LSU staff also lost one of its top recruiters when [autotag]Jamar Cain[/autotag] took an NFL job with the Denver Broncos. Those losses can be tough to offset in one offseason.

The 2024 class could lack the star power that previous classes had at the top. Even Kelly’s first two LSU hauls included [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag], [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag], [autotag]Dashawn Womack[/autotag] and [autotag]Lance Heard[/autotag]. All were five stars on at least one major recruiting site.

LSU remains in contention for quarterback [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag] too, a game-changing QB who On3 ranks as the top overall player in the 2025 class.

Kelly has LSU in a good spot and the momentum LSU’s building in 2025 should squash concerns about 2024.

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No. 1 Louisiana prospect in 2024 class sets commitment date

Dominick McKinley will be announcing his decision on Sept. 1.

Thursday is a big day for LSU recruiting as blue-chip Duncanville (Tex.) teammates [autotag]Colin Simmons[/autotag] and [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] are set to commit.

Simmons, a five-star edge rusher, is the top prospect on LSU’s board. But he’s followed close behind by the No. 1 player in the state of Louisiana, Lafayette Acadiana defensive lineman [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag].

McKinley recently set a commitment date of Sept. 1, according to TexAgs and he’ll choose between a group of finalists that include Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Texas A&M in addition to the Tigers.

The five-star prospect is considered a slight Texas lean over LSU according to On3, and his only Crystal Ball prediction from 247Sports — which was placed on Friday — is in favor of the Longhorns.

LSU has so far landed eight of the top-10 prospects in the state of Louisiana, and it will hope to overcome Texas to land the state’s best player in the cycle.

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Sooners receive prediction for 4-star defensive lineman from Texas

August and September could be a big month for OU recruiting, it could be capped off with a top 100 defensive line commitment.

The [autotag]Oklahoma Sooners[/autotag] are hoping to finish one of the best defensive line classes in program history. They have had two dominos fall: [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag] committed to OU.

Several more big fish plan to announce their college destinations in the coming weeks. [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] top that list. However, there is also someone whom not enough people are talking about, [autotag]Nigel Smith II[/autotag]. Smith is a top 100 player and he has been an Oklahoma lean for some time.

He announced recently he would not taking any more official visits and planned to stick with his Sept. 8, 2023, commitment date. That is a big development for Oklahoma. Smith was expected to be in Austin the weekend before he commits. The Sooners received even more good news when [autotag]247Sports[/autotag]’ Collin Kennedy put in a crystal ball prediction in favor of Oklahoma.

Smith is a high four-star prospect, someone who would have been the best defensive lineman in the entire class for the previous regime. He would be the one Sooner fans would be drooling over, hoping to get. But with the Sooners in the thick of a race for three five-star defensive linemen, he almost gets pushed to the side.

If you’ve watched him though, you know he’s no afterthought. He would be a massive addition to the class.

Good height and general build that fits myriad front-line defensive roles. Strength- and power-oriented defensive playmaker who often overwhelms high school blockers. Displays above average first-step explosion. Capable of getting on top of offensive linemen quickly and getting them on their heels. Also flashes knife-through ability at times to make plays in the backfield. Encouraging redirecting suddenness for a bigger-bodied D-lineman. Dangerous bull rusher vs. high school opponents. Will take a blocker into the quarterback if required. Also displays encouraging pursuit athleticism and range relative to size and role, including some chase-down examples. – Gabe Brooks National Scouting Analyst 247Sports

Smith was named Texas District 7-5A-II Defensive Lineman of the Year as a junior, Texas District 7-4A-I unanimous Defensive Lineman of the Year as a sophomore, and Texas District 7-4A-I Co-Defensive Newcomer of the Year as a freshman.

The Sooners have a little more than a month until Smith announces his commitment. If it can land him, it’ll be well worth the wait.

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2024 5-Star DL Dominick McKinley has set his commitment date

According to TexAgs’ Jason Howell, 2024 5-star DL Dominick McKinley has set his commitment date for early next month

Texas A&M is still in the running for 2024 five-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley, and according to TexAgs’ Jason Howell, McKinley’s mother, Angie McKinley, told Howell that her son is set to announce his commitment on Friday, Sept. 2, coincidentally a day before the Aggies kick off the 2023 season against New Mexico.

According to 247Sports, McKinley, who stands at 6-5 and 290 pounds, is currently positioned as the 31st-ranked player in the 2024 cycle, the 7th-ranked defensive lineman, and the No.1-ranked player in Louisiana, fresh off his impressive 2022 junior season at Acadiana (LA), recording 86 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, ten sacks, and two interceptions on the year.

Taking a majority of his OVs in June, McKinley visited Ohio State on June 2,  Texas A&M on June 9, Oklahoma on June 16, and Texas on June 23, as the Longhorns remain the favorites to land the highly talented pass rusher, predictions are never a guarantee as we’ve witnessed with several of the Aggies’ 2024 commits.

Jimbo Fisher and his staff have done the work, and no matter what comes next, nothing is permanent until National Signing Day in February.

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Oklahoma Sooners 5-Star DT target Dominick McKinley sets commitment date

Oklahoma Sooners five-star defensive line target Dominick McKinley sets commitment date.

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the midst of several five-star recruiting battles along the defensive line. Williams Nwaneri plans to announce his decision on Aug. 14. David Stone is set to commit Aug. 26. It was reported by TexAgs (subscription required) on Monday that Louisiana native Dominick McKinley plans to announce his decision on Sept. 1.

McKinley is the No. 31 prospect in the nation according to 247Sports and is the No. 7 defensive lineman. He is considered the top player in the state of Louisiana.

The Sooners have made a strong impression on the elite defensive line prospect. However, they are up against McKinley’s home state school, LSU, and the Texas Longhorns.

McKinley was in town for the Champ U BBQ.

“I learned a lot about what they have over there,” he told Sam Spiegelman of On3. “Seeing Coach V and how he is around the guys, how amazing coach Bates and Chavis are, and how they were so close. … I’m really comfortable over there.”

Oklahoma’s culture and family atmosphere has made a strong impression on recruits and their families when the visit Norman. Will it be enough to land McKinley? We’ll find out in a few weeks.

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Report: Five-star DL Dominick McKinley sets commitment date

Texas and LSU appear to be battling it out for the five-star defensive lineman out of Louisiana.

According to a report from TexasAgs’ Jason Howell, five-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley has set a commitment date. Continue reading “Report: Five-star DL Dominick McKinley sets commitment date”

Texas emerging as strong contender for five-star DL Dominick McKinley

Five-star DL Dominick McKinley plans to announce his decision before his senior season. Three primary schools are in contention at this time.

Five-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley is one of the most coveted players in the 2024 recruiting class. Continue reading “Texas emerging as strong contender for five-star DL Dominick McKinley”

How important is Colin Simmons to LSU’s 2024 class?

Colin Simmons is set to make his commitment in the coming days. What does his choice mean for LSU’s 2024 signing class?

Five-star pass rusher [autotag]Colin Simmons[/autotag] will announce his commitment on Aug. 10. According to On3 and ESPN, he’s the second-best recruit still available with most five-stars already announcing a destination.

Texas and LSU have been the front runners in the Simmons sweepstakes for some time now. Last summer, LSU was seen as the leader before Texas pulled in front earlier this year.

Now, coming off Simmons’ visit to LSU, the battle is heating up. The 247Sports Crystal Ball still has Simmons to LSU while On3’s Prediction Machine reads Texas but has LSU making up ground.

I don’t like to over analyze the impact of a single recruit. Simmons isn’t going to make or break LSU or Texas. But this is an LSU class that needs firepower at the top.

LSU has 21 commits but sits outside the top 10 classes in both the On3 and 247Sports ranking. The class features 14 four-stars, which is good for third in the country. Despite the depth of the class, LSU lacks a five-star.

Georgia, Ohio State, Florida, Alabama, Clemson and Auburn all have two five-star commitments. Tennessee and Texas A&M each have one. Those are the programs LSU needs to compete with at the top.

You’d have to go back to 2012 to find the last LSU class that didn’t include a single five-star.

Things can change. Last year, [autotag]Da’Shawn Womack[/autotag] and [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag] weren’t consensus five stars entering the fall. But LSU’s 2024 class doesn’t have a single player who’s top 100 on every recruiting site, so I wouldn’t bank on current commits rocketing up the board.

Simmons changes the outlook on this class. It would give LSU a headliner at the top and if RB [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag], Simmons’ Duncanville teammate hops aboard too, then LSU’s class is vaulted into the top five.

It goes from a “just okay” class to what’s expected at LSU.

Simmons isn’t LSU’s last big target. Defensive lineman [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag], the top recruit in Louisiana, remains uncommitted and could be winding his recruitment down soon. Right now though, the focus is on Simmons.

Again, Simmons is one recruit. And while he won’t come to define LSU either way, his decision will affect how we talk about Brian Kelly’s 2024 signing class.

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LSU kicks off massive Bayou Splash recruiting weekend Friday

The Tigers will hope to make a strong impression with many of their top targets on campus this weekend.

With the summer winding down and the start of the 2023 season right around the corner, this weekend will prove to be one of the most crucial recruiting windows in this cycle.

It’s the annual Bayou Splash event in Baton Rouge, and LSU welcomes a truly staggering visitor list to campus. In addition to a number of commits and prospects in future cycles, the Tigers have many of their top remaining targets on campus this week.

LSU will hope it can make an impact on players such as five-stars [autotag]Colin Simmons[/autotag] and [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag], top Louisiana prospects [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] and [autotag]Wardell Mack[/autotag], as well as priority offensive line target [autotag]Ory Williams[/autotag].

The Tigers have a solid class in 2024 so far, but the 20-man group ranks just outside the top 10. If LSU can bring in some of its top targets from this weekend’s event, it will almost certainly surge into the top 10.

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LSU commit Trey’Dez Green aims to help Tigers lock down Louisiana

Trey’Dez Green is putting the pressure on his Louisiana cohort this summer.

Of the top 10 players in the state of Louisiana in the 2024 recruiting class, seven are committed to LSU.

That’s a good start for coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag], who has made in-state recruiting a priority since arriving in Baton Rouge. But the situation could get even better for the Tigers.

[autotag]Trey’Dez Green[/autotag], a tight end commit who ranks as the No. 2 player in the state, is focused on helping LSU lock down the boot. A two-sport athlete who also has an offer from the Tigers to play basketball, Green is putting the pressure on his Louisiana cohorts this summer.

“I wanted to be (one of the first recruits) in the 2024 class to say ‘let’s put a stop to going out of state and let’s stay home and put on for our people,’” Green said, according to On3.

The 6-foot-7 prospect has been committed since April, and as the No. 60 recruit nationally in the 247Sports composite, he’s the highest-ranked commit in LSU’s class.

LSU is in the mix for the top player in the state, five-star defensive lineman [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag]. The Tigers are also the favorite to land the state’s No. 4 prospect, linebacker [autotag]Tylen Singleton[/autotag].

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