LSU Football: Tigers in contention for nation's No. 1 recruiting class

LSU‘s recruiting class is among the best in the country in the 2026 cycle, checking in at No. 2 the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings at the beginning of June.

The Tigers hold pledges from a pair of five-stars and six other blue-chippers, as well as three-star offensive lineman Jalan Chapman. Five of their pledges project to play on the offensive side of the ball, with the other four looking to help revamp the Tigers’ defense when they come in next winter.

Wide receiver have been a particular focus, as Brian Kelly and Co. have commitments from three of the nation’s top 22 players at the position. And that’s where the gem of the class sits as well in five-star wideout Tristen Keys, who chose LSU over Ole Miss, USC, Alabama, Tennessee and dozens of others back in March.

Top-100 wideout Jabari Mack is another major piece to LSU’s wide receiver class, and he and four-star Kenny Darby both hail from inside the state’s borders. Of the Tigers’ nine total commitments, six are from the Boot and all rank among the state’s top 25 prospects.

In addition to Keys, LSU’s defensive staff has a future star of its own in New Orleans Edna Karr five-star Richard Anderson, who has been pledged to the Tigers for nearly a year. He recently made a huge jump in the recruiting rankings and now checks in as the country’s No. 25 prospect.

In the secondary, the return of defensive backs coach Corey Raymond has paid early dividends. After landing Five-Star Plus+ CB DJ Pickett last cycle, Raymond has top-200 defensive backs Havon Finney, Dylan Purter and Aiden Hall in the fold in this class.

LSU’s 2026 football recruiting class by position

WR (3)
Hattiesburg (Miss.) five-star Tristen Keys (No. 5 NATL.)
Destrehan (La.) four-star Jabari Mack (No. 60)
Bossier City (La.) Airline four-star Kenny Darby (No. 148)

OT (1)
Gonzalez (La.) East Ascension four-star Brysten Martinez (No. 111)

IOL (1)
New Orleans (La.) Warren Easton three-star Jalan Chapman (No. 747)

DL (1)
New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr five-star Richard Anderson (No. 26)

CB (1)
Los Angeles (Calif.) Sierra Canyon four-star Havon Finney (No. 62)

SAFETY (2)
New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr four-star Aiden Hall (No. 88)
Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington four-star Dylan Purter (No. 189)