27-for-27: LSU hits expectations on Signing Day

The LSU football staff entered the day with 27 commitments.

Before 1 p.m. CT on the first day of the NCAA’s three-day Early Signing Period window, all 27 recruits had signed with Brian Kelly and the Tigers.

On a day filled with drama around the country as teams chased uncommitted recruits and flipped other targets, LSU’s outcome went exactly as planned.

“It shows this is a program they want to be part of,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said this week when asked about the expectations of signing every commitment without any late defections from the class. “They see this as a great platform for them.”

LSU scores big in Louisiana, Texas

LSU wanted to put a focus on the Bayou State this recruiting cycle, and the staff did just that.

With the dust settling on Wednesday’s opening stretch of the Early Signing Period, the Tigers signed 16 Louisiana high school prospects. LSU also added one JUCO prospect in East Mississippi Community College’s Shone Washington, a New Orleans native who prepped at Warren Easton.

From there, the next-most additions came from Texas as the Tigers signed six players from the state. Even then, two of the Texas high school commitments – Xavier Atkins and Jelani Watkins – are Louisiana natives. In total, 19 of LSU’s 27 signees were born in Louisiana.

Outside of 23 of the 27 commitments being from Louisiana and Texas, the Tigers only added players from four other states: Florida quarterback Colin Hurley, Mississippi cornerback PJ Woodland, North Carolina offensive tackle Ethan Calloway and Georgia edge rusher CJ Jackson.

Could more commitments come in the Early Signing Period?

Ahead of Wednesday’s Early Signing Period, Kelly said the staff had a very good grip on how the day would unfold.

Kelly was spot on, and he added there could be more to come.

“I think we know where we sit,” Kelly said on Tuesday afternoon. “Maybe there is one player out there that we are waiting on, but other than that, we have a really good idea of what that’s going to look like relative to Signing Day.”

The other prospect that is in play during the Early Signing Period is Texas four-star Coen Echols. The one-time Texas A&M commitment visited LSU this past weekend and is set to choose between LSU and Auburn. Echols will commit to a program, then reveal his college choice on Friday – his birthday.

Echols is a four-star and the No. 12 interior offensive lineman and a Top 200 recruit on the On3 Industry Rankings.

What’s left for February’s National Signing Day?

While LSU will remain active in the NCAA Transfer Portal, the Tigers are also still chasing a pair of five-star recruits from the 2024 class.

“There might be a late addition to (the class) in February, but I think we feel like we have a good feel for what our class is going to look like, and we’re excited about it,” Kelly said.

Two of LSU’s longtime targets and current Texas A&M commitments are Louisiana five-star defensive tackle Dominick McKinley and Texas five-star athlete Terry Bussey, but neither are the center of conversation this week – at least not at the moment.

McKinley’s mother, Angie McKinley, told The Bengal Tiger staff that her son plans to wait until February to sign with a college team. LSU was one of a number of teams that made in-home visits with the Acadiana High five-star defensive lineman this past week, and the Tigers have lined up an official visit for January.

The same goes for Bussey, who told On3 he plans to wait to sign in February as he feels out his commitment to the Aggies, as well as other suitors like LSU.

“I’m trying to make the best decision for me,” Bussey said. “I’m looking at every one individually. I’m having an open mind with A&M, seeing how it shakes out there, and it’s been all good. There will be a couple of new ones (schools) I visit and a couple of schools I return to visit.”

On3 remains high on LSU’s 2024 recruiting haul

The LSU football class is ranked by the On3 Industry Rankings as the No. 11 class in the country, but each recruiting site views the haul differently.

The On3 rankings team has LSU as the No. 6 class in the country, the highest among all recruiting services.

LSU’s class is ranked No. 10 by 247Sports, No. 13 by Rivals and No. 14 by ESPN ranks the class at No. 14.

The 27 LSU Signees (December 20)

7:15 a.m. CT: Louisiana DL Gabriel Reliford

7:45 a.m. CT: Georgia EDGE CJ Jackson

7:50 a.m. CT: North Carolina OT Ethan Calloway

7:55 a.m. CT: Florida QB Colin Hurley

8:05 a.m. CT: Texas WR Jelani Watkins

8:10 a.m. CT: Louisiana WR Kylan Billiot

8:15 a.m. CT: Texas LB Davhon Keys

8:20 a.m. CT: Texas OT Weston Davis

8:30 a.m. CT: Texas OT Ory Williams

8:40 a.m. CT: Mississippi CB PJ Woodland

8:45 a.m. CT: Louisiana WR Michael Turner

8:50 a.m. CT: Louisiana CB Bernard Causey

8:55 a.m. CT: Texas LB Xavier Atkins

9:00 a.m. CT: Louisiana S Dashawn McBryde

9:10 a.m. CT: Louisiana DL Ahmad Breaux

9:15 a.m. CT: Louisiana LB Tylen Singleton

9:20 a.m. CT: Louisiana OL Joseph Cryer

9:25 a.m. CT: Louisiana S Joel Rogers

9:40 a.m. CT: Louisiana OL Khayree Lee

9:45 a.m. CT: Louisiana CB Wallace Foster IV

10:00 a.m. CT: Louisiana K Aeron Burrell

10:03 a.m. CT: Texas RB Caden Durham

10:04 a.m. CT: Louisiana LB/EDGE Kolaj Cobbins

10:05 a.m. CT: Louisiana DL De’Myrion Johnson

10:10 a.m. CT: Louisiana TE Trey’Dez Green

11:36 a.m. CT: JUCO DT Shone Washington

12:55 p.m. CT: Louisiana CB Ju’Juan Johnson