Where LSU stands with the top uncommitted recruiting talent in Louisiana (2024)

Stewart is among the elite of the elite. On3, Rivals and ESPN rank him as the top prospect in the 2026 class. 247Sports slots him second. According to On3’s Chad Simmons, Stewart might not remain in the 2026 class for long.

Simmons’ report also noted name, image and likeness licensing money will play a factor in Stewart’s decision and multiple schools are talking seven figures, according to industry sources.

There are yet to be any 247Sports’ crystal balls for Stewart, but On3’s prediction machine has LSU leading the way (91.6%). Following LSU, you have the usual suspects for a player of this caliber. Alabama, USC, Texas and Georgia are involved.

Stewart is a standout at St. Augustine, the same high school that produced Leonard Fournette and Tyrann Mathieu. He has visited LSU several times, and LSU defensive line coach Bo Davis had a recent check-in with the top prospect.

In years past, the state’s top prospect was considered an LSU lock. But in recent years, it hasn’t been automatic. Aaron Anderson, now with LSU, originally began his career with Alabama in 2021. In 2023, Arch Manning left the state for Texas, but its hard to fault LSU for that one. Last cycle, the Tigers battled to the wire for Dominick McKinley.

Stewart is planning to visit LSU again this summer. If he does reclassify, that visit will be a pivotal moment in his LSU recruitment. The Tigers probably lead the way, but this will not be easy, and LSU will need to make sure it’s ready for battle in the NIL department.

We’ll stay with the 2026 class in which the top offensive linemen in the country is in LSU’s backyard.

Lamar Brown is considered the top interior offensive lineman in the class by all four major recruiting sites. He’s an elite athlete who plays both sides of the ball and puts up some of the best shot-put numbers in Louisiana.

LSU offensive line coach Brad Davis is from Baton Rouge. Given his skill as a recruiter, it’s hard to imagine Brown going elsewhere. But SEC competitors will make LSU earn this one.

There’s still a long way to go, but Tiger fans should feel good about Brown potentially headlining the 2026 class and continuing the trend of LSU landing elite offensive linemen.

The top uncommitted player in the state for 2025 is running back James Simon. According to On3 and 247Sports, Simon is one of the 10 best running backs in the class. Don’t expect the Louisiana native to end up in Baton Rouge.

With Harlem Berry and JT Lindsey on board, LSU’s 2025 running back class is crowded. LSU would still take Simon, but it doesn’t make sense to push this one with LSU already positioned well at running back.

The smoke is signaling Simon to Texas with a commitment coming soon.

It’s still early for class of 2026 prospects, so evaluations are incomplete, but Baton Rouge safety Blaine Bradford could be approaching five-star status. According to On3 and Rivals, he’s a top 25 overall prospect. On3 ranks Bradford as the top safety in the class.

If Bradford continues on this track, he’ll be the third player in Louisiana’s class of 2026 to earn the top ranking at his position, joining Stewart and Brown.

Bradford is a standout at Catholic High School, a Baton Rouge program with plenty of ties to LSU. With Corey Raymond back in town, the Tigers are considered the favorite here, but Notre Dame and Texas could be gearing up to make a push.

With LSU’s tradition of landing star defensive backs from Louisiana, LSU should feel good about this one for now.

Wright recently dropped his top 10, which included LSU among some other SEC powerhouses.

According to the On3 industry rankings, Wright is the ninth-best recruit in Louisiana’s class of ’25 and the 61st-ranked receiver nationally. Receiver is a position of priority for the Tigers with only one commit in the 2025 class.

LSU was late to the party and didn’t offer Wright until January. The On3 prediction machine has Michigan and Baylor leading at the moment, but the Tigers have time to make up ground.

It’s too early to jump to any conclusions and a lot will depend on how the rest of LSU’s receiver board shakes out. Brian Kelly and Cortez Hankton are recruiting some of the best in the country, but the Tigers could elect to turn up the heat on Wright.

It’s a strong year for running backs in the state of Louisiana, and we have another good one here: D’Shaun Ford. I noted LSU would likely lose out on James Simon with two RBs already in the class, but if the Tigers are looking for a third, Ford could be the guy.

From Opelousas, Ford is a three-star that holds offers from some of the nation’s top programs, including Alabama, USC and Miami.

The On3 prediction machine has LSU in the lead right now, but that could change soon with Alabama and Miami making a push. If Ford is OK joining a crowded running back class, LSU is a contender, but he’s far from a lock and this recruitment appears wide open.

Again, its still very early from a 2026 evaluation standpoint, but Martinez has made strong first impressions. All four major recruiting sites rank Martinez as a top-10 offensive tackle in the class with ESPN slotting him as a top 30 overall recruit. On3 isn’t that far behind with Martinez 37th overall.

From Gonzales, Louisiana, Martinez isn’t that far south of Baton Rouge. Martinez’s recruitment has blown up recently, but LSU was one of the first to get involved. Given that, paired with his proximity to Baton Rouge along with Brian Kelly and Brad Davis’ history of recruiting offensive line, I’d feel good about this one if I were LSU.

Adams’ recruitment didn’t blow up until last fall. He’s not even on the board at ESPN or Rivals yet, but On3 and 247Sports rank him as a top 25 player in the state. On3 has the most favorable rankings, slotting Adams as the 32nd-best defensive lineman in the country.

Beefing up the defensive tackle room has proven a challenge for the LSU staff the last couple of years. Brian Kelly and Bo Davis took a swing at some big names in the transfer portal, but Kelly has been adamant about building through the high school ranks. When Louisiana produces a defensive tackle, LSU needs to land him.

The On3 prediction machine has LSU as the heavy favorite at 97.4%, but TCU and USC are on the board. Adams could attract even more programs if he makes a leap this fall, but it’s hard to imagine Bo Davis losing this one.

Shepard’s watched his recruitment take off during the last few months. Last year, this guy wasn’t even on the board. Now, 247Sports ranks him as a top-200 recruit overall and the sixth-best player in Louisiana’s 2025 class.

Reports have indicated LSU is interested, but to what extent is unclear. 247Sports lists Shepard with an LSU offer, but On3 doesn’t include LSU on his team lists.

This could be another situation where LSU is waiting to see how things shake out before it turns up the heat.

Shepard’s athleticism is undeniable and he posts some of the best long jump numbers in the state of Louisiana. That along with his 6-foot-3 height gives him the tools to be a force on the outside. If Shepard continues his upward trajectory, he could be one of the key members of LSU’s class of ’25.

Aiden Hall is yet another Edna Karr standout to make this list. According to On3 and Rivals, Hall is a top-five safety in the 2026 class. In March, On3 reported that LSU was making a hard push for Hall’s services.

Between Bradford and Hall, LSU has a couple of elite safeties in its backyard in 2026. The priority should be to land both, but it’s hard to imagine Raymond and LSU not getting at least one.