Tag: harlem berry

Three LSU football freshmen earn SEC’s all-freshman honors

See which three Tigers were named to the SEC’s all-freshmen team in 2024

Three LSU freshmen received postseason recognition from the SEC on Thursday.

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag], [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag] and Aeron Burrell earned spots on the conference All-Freshman team.

Chester, a center, took over after veteran [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] moved on to the NFL. There were some growing pains, but Chester put a strong performance together in LSU’s final two games.

He helped block for Durham, who led the team in rushing yards. Burrell handled kickoff duties for the Tigers.

Durham led the Tigers’ ground attack and turned in two 100+ rushing yard performances. The freshman totaled 693 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry in his inaugural season.

Durham was also involved in the passing game, hauling in 27 catches for 257 yards and two scores.

Expect head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] to continue using the Oklahoma City, OK native as a versatile piece in the offense with Nussmeier and 2025 five-star back [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag].

Burrel remains a stalwart on the kickoff team. The three-star placekicker is a native of Bossier City, LA, and ranked second at his position in the 2024 class. He chose his home state school over Grambling and Houston.

Burrel will have a chance to win place-kicking duties next year.

Here’s a complete look at the SEC’s All-Freshman team on offense and defense.

Offense

Position Player Team
QB LaNorris Sellers South Carolina
RB Caden Durham LSU
RB Jadan Baugh* Florida
RB Nate Frazier* Georgia
WR Ryan Williams Alabama
WR Cam Coleman Auburn
TE Ethan Davis Tennessee
OL Bradyn Joiner Auburn
OL Josiah Thompson South Carolina
OL Bryce Lovett Florida
OL Malachi Wood Kentucky
C DJ Chester LSU
AP Ryan Williams Alabama

Defense

Position Player Team
DL Dylan Stewart South Carolina
DL Colin Simmons Texas
DL Jayden Jackson Oklahoma
DL Jordan Ross Tennessee
LB Jalen Smith Tennessee
LB Chris Cole* Georgia
LB Myles Graham* Florida
LB Demarcus Riddick* Auburn
DB KJ Bolden Georgia
DB Boo Carter Tennessee
DB Zabien Brown Alabama
DB Jay Crawford Auburn

Jahkeem Stewart commits to USC despite late push from LSU

The top prospect in Louisiana spurned LSU to head out west

A New Orleans native and five-star prospect chose a Southern California school over LSU, despite a last-minute push from the Tigers.

[autotag]Jahkeem Stewart[/autotag] committed to USC during Wednesday’s National Early Signing Day. The defensive line prospect announced his decision on “College Football Live” in a ceremony at Edna Karr High School.

The top-rated prospect in Louisiana, Stewart also received interest from Oregon and Ohio State down the stretch. However, the Trojans landed the five-star prospect.

LSU inked two five-star recruits in cornerback [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag] and [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag], headlining a 2025 class currently ranked ninth in the nation and sixth in the SEC.

With the transfer portal opening in five days and a spring signing period looming, the Tigers have plenty of time to bolster their roster heading into next season.

Last week, head coach Brian Kelly emphasized the importance of both opportunities. He highlighted “the strength of the entire roster” when confronted with concerns about the quarterback position, especially following top-rated Bryce Underwood’s flip to Michigan.

Nation’s top running back Harlem Berry officially signs with LSU

LSU made it official with five-star running back Harlem Berry on Wednesday

LSU officially inked one of its five-star commits during Wednesday’s National Early Signing Day.

[autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag] made his commitment official during the early signing period. The Metairie, LA native ranks as the top running back in the 2025 class and was recruited closely by associate head coach and running back coach Frank Wilson along with offensive coordinator Joe Sloan.

The Tigers beat out SEC foes Florida, Texas, and Alabama for Berry. He announced his commitment in January and has not wavered from his home state school. Head coach Brian Kelly and Sloan jumped on the opportunity to sign a top-rated recruit in their territory as they offered him in June 2023.

Berry provides an influx of talent to an LSU running back room that has struggled to maintain depth. He’ll join fellow blue-chip recruit [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag], who broke out as a freshman in 2024.

Berry is one of two five-star commitments for the Tigers. [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag] is the top recruit in Florida and is the top cornerback in the country, per On3 and Rivals. LSU expects to make Pickett official on Wednesday afternoon.

LSU’s 2025 running back class is the best in the nation

LSU’s 2025 recruiting class at running back is the nation’s best.

LSU’s 2025 class is strong. It ranks No. 3 in the country overall and its 19 blue-chip recruits are tie Ohio State for most in the nation.

The strength is especially evident at running back, where LSU has the best class in the country.

[autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag], a class headliner, is the No. 1 RB in country according to On3, ESPN, and Rivals. The lone site that has him off the top spot is 247Sports, but he still sits at No. 2 there.

Berry isn’t the only blue-chip running back in the class. LSU also has a commitment from Louisiana four-star [autotag]JT Lindsey[/autotag]. According to 247Sports, Lindsey is the fifth-best back in the class while the On3 Industry Rankings slate him No. 13 overall.

Running backs coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] was one of Brian Kelly’s biggest hires when Kelly arrived in Baton Rouge. LSU’s depth was tested at RB after the head coaching transition, but Wilson has rebuilt the room into one of the SEC’s most talented.

Berry will be LSU’s top running back commit since [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] signed in 2019.

With young backs like [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag] and [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] already on the roster, the room is well-positioned for years to come.

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LSU lands 3-star defensive tackle in 2025 recruiting class

On Monday, Brian Kelly and his recruiting staff landed another commitment in the 2025 recruiting class.

On Monday, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and his recruiting staff landed another commitment in the 2025 recruiting class when the Tigers picked up a three-star defensive tackle from Arlington, Texas.

[autotag]Dilan Battle[/autotag] is a 6-foot-3, 300-pound, three-star defensive tackle from Arlington, where he plays for Mansfield Timberview High School. The Tigers were not projected to land him. SMU was a 24% favorite to land him per On3’s recruiting prediction machine.

Battle becomes the third defensive lineman to commit to the Tigers in the 2025 class, joining fellow three-stars [autotag]Brandon Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Zion Williams[/autotag]. The Tigers 2025 class is ranked No. 3 in the country according to 247Sports.

The class is headlined by five-stars [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag], [autotag]Derek Meadows[/autotag] and [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag]. Brian Kelly has signed a top-10 class every year since he arrived in Baton Rouge. This class looks like it could be his greatest work yet. There is still a long time before the early signing period, and the Tigers are not done yet.

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Can LSU add a consensus 5-star receiver to its 2025 class?

LSU is looking to add a five-star receiver to its class with Jaime Ffrench taking another visit to Baton Rouge.

LSU’s 2025 recruiting class is loaded at the top. According to the On3 industry rankings, LSU has three five-star commits with QB [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], CB [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag] and RB [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag] in the fold.

The Tigers lost a five-star earlier this cycle when receiver [autotag]Dakorien Moore[/autotag] backed off his pledge and later committed to Oregon. LSU did a fine job recovering, landing four-star [autotag]Derek Meadows[/autotag], but LSU could take its receiver class to another level with the addition of composite five-star [autotag]Jaime Ffrench[/autotag].

Ffrench is visiting LSU this weekend and the Tigers will hope to make a strong final impression with French’s commitment date approaching next month.

ESPN is the highest on Ffrench, ranking him as the No. 2 receiver in the class. 247Sports and Rivals also consider Ffrench a top-25 overall prospect.

LSU isn’t the favorite by any means. The On3 recruiting prediction machine gives Texas the best shot while the most recent 247Sports crystal ball favors Texas too. Miami is also a factor in the Florida prospect’s recruitment.

At one point, Ohio State’s chances looked pretty good. Earlier this year, three crystal balls were entered for the Buckeyes.

If LSU wants a shot at the No. 1 class in the country, it needs to land Ffrench. The addition would tie LSU with Alabama’s leading mark of four five-stars and increase LSU’s average recruit rating, which leads the country.

Ffrench would also give LSU three blue-chip receivers in 2025, joining Meadows along with Louisiana four-star [autotag]Taron Francis[/autotag].

Texas might be feeling good about this one, but LSU is certainly making a run for Ffrench’s services. He’s scheduled to commit on Aug. 30.

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LSU’s 2025 class building momentum for elite 2026 class

Louisiana’s 2026 recruiting class gives LSU the chance at another elite group.

LSU’s 2025 recruiting class is shaping up to be the best in Brian Kelly’s career and the best LSU’s had in a long time.

Its led by five-star QB and No. 1 overall recruit [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag]. He’s joined by two more five-stars in CB [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag] and RB [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag]. Both players are considered the top recruits at their respective positions too.

The 2025 class is far from finished. With just 18 commits, LSU will look to add more. Ensuring the current commits make it past the finish line is critical too.

But it’s never too early to look ahead to 2026 when LSU could assemble a class just as strong. Louisiana is set to have one of its best high school crops ever next year, setting LSU up for another elite haul.

According to On3, 247Sports and Rivals, defensive lineman [autotag]Jahkeem Stewart[/autotag] is the top player in the country. Stewart hails from St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, a place that produced the No. 1 overall recruit 10 years ago in [autotag]Leonard Fournette[/autotag].

Stewart gives LSU the chance to land the nation’s top player in back-to-back classes. There’s a long way to go in his recruitment, but the On3 Crystal Ball gives LSU a 90.9% chance of landing Stewart. Underwood and Stewart in consecutive years is the type of core you can build a national title team around.

Stewart isn’t the only Louisiana product in the top 10. Offensive lineman [autotag]Lamar Brown[/autotag] sits at No. 5 overall. Given how strong LSU offensive line coach [autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag] is at recruiting Louisiana, it would be hard to imagine Brown going anywhere else.

Not further down the list, Baton Rouge safety [autotag]Blaine Bradford[/autotag] is on his way to earning a five-star. He’s out of Catholic High School, where LSU has several previous connections.

LSU has three five-stars committed in 2025 and the Tigers may not even leave the state to reach that total in 2026. With Stewart, Brown and Bradford, LSU can land the strongest core the state’s produced in some time.

There’s also OT [autotag]Brysten Martinez[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Aiden Hall[/autotag], two more top 50 recruits in Louisiana.

What might have LSU fans particularly excited is how good the Louisiana defensive tackle group is in 2026. Stewart’s at the top, but [autotag]Richard Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Dylan Berymon[/autotag] and [autotag]Darryus McKinley[/autotag] are three more top 300 prospects that LSU won’t have to go far to get.

Davis was able to turn around LSU’s offensive line after he capitalized on a strong 2022 Louisiana class that included [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones Jr.[/autotag]. The 2026 class can have a similar impact on the defensive side for [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag].

The 2026 cycle has barely begun, but if LSU seizes on the momentum of 2025, it will be another special group. Kelly landed top 10 classes in 2023 and 2024. He came to LSU to work with this caliber of talent.

But there’s a difference between a top-five class and a top-two or three class. Top-five classes keep you in contention, but top-three classes allow you to compete with Georgia. That’s where Kelly and LSU look to be headed.

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4-star 2025 EDGE LaJesse Harrold commits to LSU

LSU’s 2025 class got even better on Saturday.

LSU’s already strong 2025 class got even better on Saturday.

The Tigers reeled in a commitment from four-star Robinson (Tampa) edge rusher [autotag]LaJesse Harrold[/autotag], the No. 100 player in the nation according to On3. The 6-foot-5, 207-pound prospect is also the No. 15 edge rusher nationally and the No. 14 recruit in the state of Florida.

Harrold’s commitment comes just a day after he was on campus for an official visit to Texas A&M. He officially visited LSU the prior weekend and Illinois the weekend before.

He’s the second high-profile recruit to commit to the Tigers in the last few days as No. 1 2025 interior offensive lineman [autotag]Carius Curne[/autotag] also joined the class.

LSU’s group of 13 commits now features eight top-100 prospects, headlined by five-star [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag] and [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag].

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LSU to host No. 1 safety in America for visit this weekend

The Tigers are hosting one of the best athletes in the 2025 class this weekend as they look to add to their top-five group.

LSU already has a 2025 recruiting class that ranks as high as No. 2 nationally, and coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] is trying to make that group even stronger.

The Tigers will play host this weekend to one of the top defensive backs in the cycle as five-star [autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag], the No. 1 safety in the country, will be in town for an official visit.

Williams ranks as the No. 10 player in the nation overall, and the Ball (Galveston, Tex.) product recently took an official visit to Texas A&M. Though he has visits set with Ohio State and Oregon as well later this month, he received a crystal ball prediction in favor of the Aggies after that trip.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma is considered the favorite per On3.

Williams is a two-way star, playing receiver and all over the defense. He also plays baseball for his high school as an outfielder and left-handed pitcher.

LSU already holds commitments from two of the top players at their position: quarterback [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], who is also the No. 1 overall prospect, and running back [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag]. If it could land a player like Williams, the Tigers could jump back to the top spot in the class rankings.

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LSU’s class remains in the top 2 after On3 industry rankings update

Despite the recent decommitment from Dakorien Moore, LSU’s class remains ranked No. 2 in the nation per On3.

On3 recently updated its team rankings for the 2025 recruiting class, and after a hot start, LSU remains near the top despite suffering a decommitment last month from five-star receiver [autotag]Dakorien Moore[/autotag].

The Tigers still have a loaded class that features five-star quarterback [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], who also ranks as the No. 1 overall player in the nation, as well as [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag], a five-star running back who ranks as the best at his position.

With those pieces anchoring a recruiting class that already sits at 11 commitments, On3 ranks LSU’s class second in the nation per its updated industry rankings, behind only Ohio State.

Of LSU’s 11 pledges, 10 check in as blue-chip prospects in the On3 Industry Ranking. The class features two five-stars (QB Bryce Underwood and RB Harlem Berry) and eight four-star prospects. Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver Dakorien Moore decommitted in May.

Eight of the 11 future Tigers hail from the state of Louisiana, a recruiting priority for head coach Brian Kelly since he took over. In 2024, LSU signed 13 of the state’s top 17 prospects, including nine of the top 10.

Eight are projected to play on the offensive side of the ball at the next level, while cornerback Jaboree Antoine and linebackers Keylan Moses and Charles Ross represent the defense.

The Tigers are still in the mix for several top players in the class and hosted some of their top targets this weekend, including top defensive back [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag].

It will all depend on how [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and staff close things out, but LSU has the makings of a special class in the 2025 cycle.

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