Four-star ATH Khai Prean commits to LSU

After wrestling with a decision for the bulk of the spring and nearly all the summer, Khai Prean’s mind is made up.

Prean, a top-10 athlete nationally on the On3 Consensus, committed to LSU on Tuesday in front of a riveted crowd in his high school gymnasium. Florida State, Mississippi State and Auburn were other finalists for the four-star do-it-all offensive playmaker from Vacherie (La.) St. James, who pledged to the in-state Tigers after a string of visits to campus in June and July where the entire coaching staff created a vision for Prean that aligned with his own.

“For as long as I can remember, growing up I’ve been watching football and watching clips on YouTube. and the popular receivers at the time were all from LSU,” Prean told On3. “Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry and then Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Terrace Marshall Jr. It wasn’t that they went to college; it was that they went to college and stood out in what they did, and that’s what made me want to go to LSU.”

“Overall, the recruiting process was hard,” he added. “I had a tough decision and had to talk it over with my family multiple times. Every school we went to we were looking for the best fit for me, as a football player and as a student, and it took some convincing and I had to be real with myself sometimes, but I’m happy with my decision.”

Auburn was trending for a good bit with one of the best from The Boot, but momentum shifted soon after Brian Kelly and the new Tigers staff settled in. Multiple coaches cultivated relationships with Prean throughout his recruitment, including running backs coach Frank Wilson and wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton.

“When Coach Frank came in, he played a big role always wanting to get on the phone and getting to know me, and he made a good first impression,” he recounted. “Besides Khai Prean the football player, he wanted to know Khai Prean the regular person outside the field.”

“Coach Hankton came in from Georgia and immediately started building up that relationship with me,” Prean said. “Seeing how he watched film, studied the game, watching how he’d use my size to be physical and create separation at the top of my routes and find ways to get open, that stood out to me.”

Recruiting specialists Jordan Arcement and Carter Sheridan also played significant roles in opening the doors for the Tigers with several out-of-state threats looming.

“I knew Coach Jordan before he even got into recruiting or got to LSU,” Prean said. “I have a great relationship with him. He makes me feel comfortable. I can be myself around him and I know I won’t be judged differently. Coach Carter met me at my first camp and as soon as he laid eyes on me, he told me I was a special talent. I killed that camp and he stood by my side, and from that point I knew we had a real relationship.”

Those relationships came to fruition on Monday with Prean’s pledge.

Prean is the nation’s No. 252 player in the nation regardless of position on the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.