Tag: lsu recruiting

Elite four-star linemen locks in official visit with LSU this summer

LSU will host one of 2026’s top offensive linemen on a visit

LSU will host a top prospect on an official visit this summer.

On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported on Tuesday that Darius Gray will travel to Baton Rouge June 14-16 as one of five scheduled official visits. The offensive lineman will also visit Clemson, Tennessee, Penn State, and South Carolina between May and June.

A native of Richmond, VA, Gray is a four-star prospect and the No. 2 recruit in Virginia, according to On3’s Industry Rankings. He is No. 4 at the interior offensive lineman position and the No. 36 recruit overall in the cycle.

Per On3’s Industry Rankings, LSU’s 2026 class ranks No. 5 nationally and No. 3 in the SEC. Five of its six commitments are four-stars and all but one is from Louisiana. The class has one interior offensive lineman in three-star Jalan Chapman.

LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan recently paid Gray a visit, and LSU has some momentum in Gray’s recruitment. Standing at six-foot-three and 285 pounds as a junior, Gray displays the physical attributes necessary to make an immediate impact at any school he chooses.

LSU coaches on the road: What recruits did LSU visit this week?

LSU coaches hit the road this week. Here are some of the prospects they checked in on.

It’s recruiting season. With the college football season over, coaches are on the road, looking to build 2026 and 2027 recruiting classes.

For the 2026 class, this time of year is especially important. Coaches are looking to lock in visits this spring before a handful of commitments are made this summer.

LSU football already has six commitments in its 2026 class. The Tigers’ class ranks No. 5 nationally and No. 3 in the SEC.

The best of the group is defensive lineman Richard Anderson. The Edna Karr product has a chance to finish as a five-star recruit when it’s all said and done. Rivals currently slots Anderson as the No. 25 overall prospect and No. 2 at his position.

Also in the fold is four-star safety Aiden Hall. Per the On3 Industry Rankings, Hall is the No. 5 overall safety in the class. LSU is looking to land a few blue-chip safeties in 2026 as it tries to up the talent level in the secondary.

Let’s take a look at some stops LSU coaches made this week.

Four-star tackle Brysen Martinez

Offensive line coach checked in with four-star tackle Brysen Martinez.

Martinez is a Louisiana product and a high-priority prospect for LSU in 2026.

Defensive lineman Corey Wells

Wells recruitment is just starting to take off. He is unranked by On3 and 247Sports, but that could change soon. He picked up an LSU offer after meeting with Bo Davis earlier this week.

Four-star defensive lineman Dylan Berymon

Berymon is a four-star prospect the No. 7 ranked recruit in Louisiana. He’s another defensive tackle in what’s a good year for defensive linemen in LSU’s home state.

Four-star wide receiver Kenny Darby

Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan both saw it worth their time to check in with four-star receiver Kenny Darby. That signals Darby is a high priority for LSU in 2026.

Four-star offensive lineman Darius Gray

Joe Sloan made a trip to Richmond, VA to talk with four-star offensive lineman Darius Gray.

Elite four-star safety recruit includes LSU in top 10 schools

LSU made the cut for one of the top safeties in the 2026 recruiting class

Four-star safety Ayden Pouncey released his top 10 schools and LSU made the cut.

According to a report from 247Sports’ Tom Loy, LSU was joined by Miami, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Florida, among others, for the services of the 2026 prospect.

Pouncey, a Florida native, is the No. 8 ranked safety in the class, according to ESPN’s rankings. The On3 Industry Rankings slot Pouncey No. 131 overall, No. 12 at his position, and No. 21 in the state of Florida.

Per the On3 Prediction Machine, Miami is the favorite to land Pouncey with a 23.6% chance. Florida State is second with 20.8%.

In 2024, Pouncey took visits to Oregon, Florida State, and Miami.

LSU is looking to add talent to its safety room that’s struggled the last few years. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] reshaped the defensive coaching staff after the 2023 season, adding secondary coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] and safeties coach Jake Olsen. There was an improvement in 2024, but LSU wants the talent level at safety back to where it was in the 2000s and 2010s.

LSU recruiting update: Will Tigers sign nation’s top safety in 2026?

LSU has a five-star safety in its backyard in 2026. Will the Tigers land Bradford?

Louisiana’s 2026 recruiting class is a good one.

According to the On3 Industry Rankings, four Louisiana recruits rank top 40 nationally. Two players own the top spot at their respective positions: guard Lamar Brown and safety [autotag]Blaine Bradford.[/autotag]

LSU usually does a good job signing the state’s top talent, but with recruits of this caliber, LSU will battle the nation’s top programs.

Bradford is a “can’t miss” prospect for LSU. He’s a five-star safety in the Tigers’ backyard. Given Bradford’s talent and LSU’s recent struggles at the position, Bradford is LSU’s top priority in 2026.

According to On3, Bradford is set to visit Oregon this weekend. Bradford has also made visits to Alabama and Notre Dame.

Per the On3 Prediction Machine, LSU remains the favorite with a 95.9% chance of landing the five-star safety.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind, though.

Oregon has shown a tendency to shell out NIL money when it wants a prospect. LSU hasn’t always been able to compete with top-dollar schools, but a top-ranked transfer class signals that is improving.

As for Notre Dame, the Irish have had success recruiting Louisiana Catholic schools before.

The Ducks and Fighting Irish are real challengers here.

But for now, LSU fans should feel good.

Former LSU defensive back no longer with recruiting department

LSU football continued its staff shakeup, letting go of another recruiting staffer

LSU Football let go of a former player on its recruiting staff.

Per reports on Thursday, JaCoby Stevens will not return to his position as a recruiting specialist. He joined head coach Brian Kelly’s staff in August 2023 and also worked with the defensive backs at practices.

Stevens donned the purple and gold from 2017-2020. He was a part of the national championship team in 2019. Through three years as a starter, Stevens totaled 190 tackles, 15 pass deflections, nine and a half sacks, four interceptions, and one forced fumble.

Following the 2020 season, Stevens entered the 2021 NFL Draft. He was selected in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Eagles and spent one season with the team. Through two games, he made three tackles.

The news of Stevens’ employment status comes after another recruiting staffer was let go. Former LSU running back Nick Brossette was relieved of his duties last week. He served as the Director of Alumni Relations and High School outreach for three seasons.

LSU football offers elite defensive end recruit out of Georgia

LSU football is getting in the mix with one of the top recruits in the country

The 2025 recruiting class is in the books and LSU has turned its attention to 2026 and 2027. The Tigers recently offered KJ Green, one of the top pass rushers in the 2027 class.

According to the On3 Industry Rankings, Green is the No. 12 ranked player in the class and No. 4 at his position. Rivals is the highest on Green, slotting him as the No. 6 overall prospect in the country.

Green’s recruitment will be a national one and LSU will have to compete with some of the top programs in the country, including Green’s home state Georgia Bulldogs.

Green made several big-time visits in the fall, including Georgia, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.

LSU defensive ends coach Kevin Peoples will spearhead the recruitment. Peoples has proven to be one of the best developers of edge defenders in the country. Several players from his group at Missouri in 2023 will end up in the NFL. At LSU in 2024, Peoples helped turn DE Bradyn Swinson into one of the SEC’s top pass rushers.

That should help LSU when recruiting players like Green.

Four LSU women’s basketball recruits nominated for All-American game

Four LSU women’s basketball signees were named McDonalds All-Americans

Midway through the 2024-25 season, LSU women’s basketball received news about its incoming recruiting class.

On Wednesday, all four future Tigers were nominated for the 2025 McDonald’s All-American game. Divine Bourrage, Bella Hines, ZaKiyah Johnson, and Grace Knox make up the No. 1 class in the 2025 cycle. They are part of the West group of nominees.

The game is scheduled for Tuesday, April 1 inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. In the selection process, an athlete’s academic and athletic are taken into consideration.

The Tigers’ recruiting class was unanimously ranked the best of the cycle and all four signees drew five-star ratings. Bourrage, Hines, Johnson, and Knox were all named to the Naismith Trophy Girl’s High School Player of the Year watchlist.

Bourrage hails from Davenport, IA, and was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in her junior season. The guard averaged 19.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and three steals while building a reputation as an unselfish team player with abilities to produce in half-court sets and transition.

A native of Albuquerque, NM, Hines averaged 32.5 points, six rebounds and two assists in her junior year. She eclipsed 2,000 points in the same season and solidified back-to-back Player of the Year awards in New Mexico. The combo guard brings a proven ability to score the basketball to Baton Rouge.

Johnson won three Gatorade Player of the Year awards in Kentucky and won a gold medal in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup with Team USA U18. The Shelbyville, KY native led her high school to three state titles. She averaged 18.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a junior, demonstrating her ability to score. Johnson also has a presence on the defensive end and impacts the game on the boards.

A six-foot-three forward, Knox averaged 17.2 points and 11.9 rebounds as a junior. She led Etiwanda High School in Los Angeles, CA to a national championship and established herself as a threat on the perimeter and in the paint.

Here’s every LSU baseball player ranked on Perfect Game’s top 100 freshman

See the eight LSU freshman ranked among the nation’s top 75 by Perfect Game

Preseason honors continue rolling in for LSU baseball. This time, members of its freshmen class are being recognized.

Eight Tigers apart of the 2025 cycle were ranked in the Top 75 freshmen by Perfect Game. Derek Curiel and William Schmidt led the way at No. 1 and 4, respectively.

Cade Arrambide (No. 15) and Casino Evans (No. 26) landed in the top 30, followed by Ryan Costello (No. 32) and Maverick Rizy (No. 36). Cooper Williams (No. 67) and Mikey Ryan (No. 69) rounded out the purple and gold’s selections.

LSU leads the nation with eight selections to the list and its 2025 class leads all others according to Perfect Game.

Head coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] reloaded with the highly touted freshmen class as well as one of the best transfer classes in the country. Combined with a multitude of players with SEC experience, the Tigers will look to build upon its second-place finish in the SEC Tournament and its Regional finish in the College World Series.

No. 1: Derek Curiel

Perfect Game named Curiel the best player in the 2025 freshmen class. The outfielder, a two-time member of the 18U USA National team, is from West Covina, CA. In his senior year at Orange Lutheran High School, he batted .314 with 33 hits, including 10 doubles, 21 RBI, and 19 stolen bases.

No. 4: William Schmidt

Schmidt, a Baton Rouge, LA native, pitched at Catholic High School and was rated the No. 16 prospect for the 2024 MLB Draft. In his senior year, en route to winning the state title, Schmidt posted a 9-0 record along with a 0.44 ERA and 102 strikeouts through 63.2 innings.

No. 15: Cade Arrambide

Arrambide was rated the No. 1 high school catcher by MLB.com and named the 2024 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year. In his final year at Tomball High School in Texas, he posed a .430 batting average along with 12 home runs and 35 RBI.

No. 26: Casan Evans

A right-handed pitcher, Evans was ranked the No. 9 player in Texas by Perfect Game. He played high school baseball at St. Pius X in Houston, TX, and was a top 100 prospect for the 2-24 MLB Draft, according to Baseball America.

No. 32: Ryan Costello

Costello played high school baseball at Ranney High School in Howell, NJ. He was ranked the No. 2 first basemen in the country by Perfect Game. In his senior year, Costello batted .562 with 14 homers and 34 RBI.

No. 36: Mavrick Rizy

Perfect Game ranked Rizy as the No. 1 high school prospect in Massachusetts. The right-handed pitcher, a product of Worcester Academy in Diskdale, MA, played in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League and participated in the MLB Draft Scouting Combine.

No. 67: Cooper Williams

A left-handed pitcher, Williams drew the No. 12 ranking from Perfect Game of high school southpaws in the nation. In his senior year at Alvin High School in Texas, he finished with a 1.34 ERA and 152 strikeouts through 99.1 innings.

No. 69: Mikey Ryan

Ryan chose his home state school as a native of Metairie, LA following a First-Team All-State selection in his senior year at Rummel High School. He was the state’s No. 2 prospect and the country’s No. 30 shortstop, according to Perfect Game. Ryan was listed by Baseball America as a top 150 prospect for the 2024 MLB Draft.

Top LSU women’s basketball recruit gets big ratings bump from On3

Kim Mulkey’s top recruit got a significant bump in On3’s latest rankings update

An LSU women’s basketball commit is now a top five overall prospect, according to On3.

Grace Knox, previously ranked at No. 13, now sits No. 4 overall in the latest rankings update.

Per On3, Knox is now the top ranked small forward in the country and the top recruit in the state of California.

ESPN slots Knox No. 6 overall while 247Sports has Knox at No. 11 with four-stars. Knox is the headlining piece in an LSU recruiting class among the best in the country.

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey has three commits that sit top-10 in On3’s Industry Rankings. Knox is joined by five-stars Divine Bourrage and ZaKiyah Johnson.

Mulkey has built a reputation as one of the best recruiters in the game. She built a strong staff at LSU that includes recruiting ace Gary Redus II.

Redus is a strong relationship builder and has been critical in LSU’s efforts with top transfer portal players and high school recruits.

Will elite quarterback recruit Colton Nussmeier follow his brother at LSU?

Could Garrett Nussmeier’s brother follow in his footsteps with LSU football?

The Nussmeier name is synonymous with the quarterback position.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is 3,352 yards away from becoming the program’s all-time leading passer. Through four seasons donning the purple and gold, he passed for 5,763 yards and 40 touchdowns. Following the regular season finale, he announced a return for a fifth year in Baton Rouge.

His father, Doug Nussmeier, is the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterbacks coach. While he currently mentors Jalen Hurts and Kenny Picket, he also worked with Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys in the same position.

Doug finished his collegiate career at Idaho as the all-time leading passer with 10,824 yards before being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 1994 NFL Draft. After six seasons of professional football, he coached in the Canadian Football League, then at the collegiate level, even winning the 2013 BCS National Championship with Alabama.

But there is another Nussmeier looking to make his mark as a quarterback — Colton Nussmeier, Garrett’s younger brother.

Colton, part of the 2027 class, is ranked as a three-star prospect by On3’s Industry Rankings, but that has more to do with how early it is in the cycle rather than where Nussmeier is expected to finish.

The system slots him as the No. 4 recruit in Texas and No. 3 at his position. The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder currently holds 13 Power 4 offers, including Ole Miss and LSU.

Nussmeier, a left-hander, plays at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, TX. He impressed at LSU’s Elite Camp, but will he end up following in his brother’s footsteps?

Following 2025, the Tigers are slated to elevate Mississippi State transfer Michael Van Buren with the starting role, as he’ll have two or three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Should he choose LSU, Colton would have a year to develop as a backup, just as Garrett did for two years behind Heisman winner Jayden Daniels.

LSU still has yet to secure a commitment from a quarterback in the 2026 cycle. If it fails to do so, it will be looking to add a quality arm in the 2027 class, and Nussmeier may be a great target, especially if the Tigers miss on Baton Rouge native Elijah Haven. He is the class’ top passer and ranks as the No. 3 recruit overall in the class.