LSU's Bayou Splash makes waves with touted football recruits

LSU’s Bayou Splash on Friday saw top prospects from the 2025, 2026 and 2027 recruiting cycles make their way to Baton Rouge.

Buzz coming out of the event is strong.

LSU has On3’s No. 3 ranked recruiting class in 2025. One of the headliners is Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central edge rusher Damien Shanklin.

“Not much to say, just happy to be back home in Death Valley,” Shanklin told On3.

Head coach Brian Kelly and his staff are hoping many of the other talented prospects on campus make LSU their home as well.

The uncommitted headliner on campus was On3 Industry five-star receiver Jaime Ffrench. Set to commit at the end of August, the Tigers continue to battle Texas and Miami.

“It went really smooth,” Ffrench said, adding the connection with the “coaching staff and my family” stands out.

Ffrench also said “the approach” of the program makes LSU a good potential fit. He arrived at Miami late Saturday morning.

In-state receiver Phillip Wright III is another major target for LSU. The Michigan commit talked about his experience.

“Had a good time with the guys around campus and a lot of people that I know in my class from around the state,” Wright said.

The electric Wright who is one of the fastest pass catchers in the country committed to the Maize and Blue in July but says he’ll continue to consider the Tigers moving forward.

“That’s an awesome program for a receiver,” Wright said. “We had a good time overall. It’s a family thing with all the guys.”

Lead recruiter Frank Wilson got a lot of time with Wright before he left. Wright is en route to Ann Arbor Saturday morning for the Barbecue at the Big House.

LSU is in the top two with Duke for Columbia (SC) Hammond School tight end Mike Tyler.

“The Bayou Splash was amazing,” Tyler said. “The games were fun and the players that were there were cool.

“What excites me about LSU is the upward trajectory they’re on!”

LSU is battling Auburn and Clemson among others for Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson On300 safety Anquon Fegans.

“It was great and the Bayou Splash was great,” Fegans said. “And what continues to excite about LSU is the icons and the place and how much of an icon you can be if you go there.”

Fegans is at Auburn on Saturday and will commit somewhere on July 29.

Ruston (La.) High cornerback Aidan Anding is another in-state target LSU is working to keep home as they battle Texas, Miami and Arkansas among others.

There were some elite 2026s on campus including On3’s No. 1 ranked overall prospect in five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart and the nation’s No. 2 offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell.

“Had a great day at LSU,” Stewart said. “Thank you Coach Brian Kelly and Frank Wilson for having me.”

“Had a great time at LSU today,” Cantwell said. “Very thankful to Coach Brian Kelly, Coach Brad Davis, Coach (Adam) Kleffer, Coach Joe Sloan, Coach Donovan Tate and Kanan Ray for showing me around and hosting me today.

“Enjoyed the Bayou Splash for sure!”

LSU had some big-time 2027s on campus as well. DeSoto (Texas) High receiver Ethan Feaster spent Thursday and Friday on campus.

“I appreciate the love that Coach (Cortez) Hankton and Coach Sloan show me,” Feaster said. “Coach Kelly seems to run a family like program that both me and my folks like. They also run many of the same concepts that we run at DeSoto so I would be ahead of the curve.”

In-state 2027 cornerback Emmanuel Moses out of local University Lab loved it.

“The Bayou Splash was really fun and I had many encounters with a lot of highly recruited prospects,” Moses said. “Which made me feel good to know that I am one of them. As you know, this weekend was one of the biggest recruiting weekends for LSU, with a lot of big names in attendance. So just to know that I was invited and was able to socialize with all of these important people let me know how much LSU is interested in me. What continues to excite me about the LSU program is the relationships I’m building with all of the coaches, especially Coach Olsen. Every time I visit LSU they welcome me with open arms and treat me like I’m family. I absolutely love the environment and the connections I am building with the entire staff.”

Stay tuned to On3 and The Bengal Tiger as more reaction and intel comes in.