This same weekend last year, LSU hosted more than two dozen football recruits. A month-long dead period that restricted in-person contact had ended, and some of the team’s top targets visited Baton Rouge.
The trips were influential in LSU’s first recruiting classes under coach Brian Kelly. Six eventual 2023 signees and three prospects committed in the current 2024 cycle came that weekend. The first member of LSU’s 2025 class, cornerback Jaylen Bell, also was there.
Fast forward, and LSU had 30 recruits and one transfer scheduled to arrive this weekend, the first since the February dead period ended. The group includes Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 junior quarterback in the country, and other priority targets in the next two cycles.
It’s just the beginning. More prospects will spill onto campus throughout the spring and early summer. Decision timelines have accelerated because of the early signing period, making this the start of an essential period as Kelly and his staff work on their second full class.
Where 2024 class stands
There had not been a new commitment since November until Friday night. Then four-star Destrehan linebacker Kolaj Cobbins announced his decision. Cobbins, the nation’s No. 198 overall player, gave the 2024 class nine commitments. The group is now ranked No. 2 in the country behind Georgia, according to 247Sports.
The ranking itself doesn’t matter at this point. The 2023 class sat in the high 30s last summer before it finished No. 5. But already having nine recruits on board — tied with Florida State for the second-most nationally — shows how LSU’s coaches can work ahead now. At this point last year, the 2023 class was empty.
Within the class, LSU has six four-star recruits ranked between No. 80 and No. 250 overall, according to the 247Sports composite. Three of those are linebackers Maurice Williams, Xavier Atkins and Cobbins. LSU may have to replace both starting inside linebackers after next season, depending on what junior Greg Penn does, so it’s trying to restock there.
The most well-known recruit is four-star quarterback Colin Hurley. He reclassified from the 2025 class last fall to graduate a year early. The decision dropped Hurley’s ranking to No. 164 overall, but he was a five-star and top-five quarterback in his original class. Hurley, who turned 16 this week, said he’ll visit LSU again next Tuesday.
The class has a regional feel at this point with players from Louisiana, Texas, Florida, Georgia and then Ohio. In-state, LSU has three recruits after Cobbins joined three-star corner Wallace Foster and three-star offensive lineman Khayree Lee. The Tigers missed on six top-10 Louisiana players in 2023, and they lost four-star athlete Ju’Juan Johnson to Colorado last month. That created concerns, but they are in contention for Louisiana’s highest-rated prospects.
Big start to visits
LSU started the spring visits strong with Underwood and so many others on campus this weekend. There were 23 recruits in the 2024 class scheduled to come, plus six 2025 prospects and one in the 2026 class. Two, Cobbins and 2025 offensive lineman Brett Bordelon, committed to LSU. The rest are considering the Tigers.
The lone transfer is Maryland offensive lineman Mason Lunsford. LSU has been looking for an experienced interior lineman who can compete at center. It missed out on Cincinnati center Jake Renfro and Miami center Jakai Clark. Lunsford started the last two years at Maryland. He has two seasons of eligibility.
Lunsford will be one of eight offensive linemen visiting campus, the most from one position. Offensive line coach Brad Davis will also host four-star Casey Poe, four-star Blake Frazier, four-star Caleb Holmes, three-star Nate Kibble, three-star Ray’Quan Bell, unranked tackle Marcus Mascoll and Bordelon. Once again, the offensive line is a focus.
Another position with a lot of visitors will be the defensive line. Caleb Moore, Justin Greene, Terrance Hibbler and Kamron Beavers — all four-stars in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports — were scheduled for visits, as well as three-star Ahmad Breaux. Not all of them are tackles, but LSU wants to improve the interior after needing veteran transfers for depth this season.
At safety, top-100 prospect Xavier Filsaime headlines a handful of players on visits. The only other one with a ranking at this point on 247Sports is four-star Joel Rogers, but this won’t be the only time LSU looks at safeties. The Tigers may have to replace both starters next year with Major Burns draft eligible, and they don’t have proven depth at the position yet.
Three wide receivers are also supposed to be on campus. Receivers coach Cortez Hankton secured visits from four-stars Zion Kearney, Jelani Watkins and Noreel White. Kearney is ranked No. 54 overall in the country, and Watkins is a top-150 prospect. Hankton signed four wideouts last year and has a commitment from four-star Joseph Stone. He’s still looking to add.
As for the 2025 recruits, Underwood garners a lot of attention. It may be tough to ultimately pull him from Belleville, Michigan, but Underwood is the No. 3 player in the class. LSU wants to be in the mix for those high-profile quarterbacks. It also hosted top-100 local linebacker Keylan Moses and four-star tight end Ethan Barbour. Long way to go in their recruitment. Then again, the pursuit has already started.
What’s next
There will be more visits in the weeks and months ahead before the next month-long dead period starts June 26. Hurley, Stone and four-star cornerback pledge Zion Ferguson return to campus next week, for example. Others will set trips, then commitment dates as recruiting heats up.
Teams can sign as many recruits as they want again this year as long as they stay under 85 scholarships. So even with nine players committed, LSU has plenty of available spots. Though the final number shifts because of transfer portal entries, Kelly estimated in December there would be "high 20s" signed in future classes.