Brian Kelly Chasing History on the Recruiting Trail
Brian Kelly is building a wall around Louisiana on the recruiting trail and his efforts continue paying off. LSU has eight of the state's Top 10 prospects committed as they look to make history.
The Tigers secured a pledge from 4-star Many (La.) linebacker Tylen Singleton on Saturday before a monstrous weekend for this program as they host their Bayou Splash event on Friday, July 28.
After Singleton revealed his commitment to the purple and gold, all attention turned to 4-star cornerback Wardell Mack.
Mack, Louisiana's No. 4 overall prospect, has seen his name trending on Twitter with LSU starting a #WaitingOnWardell social media push.
Along with Mack, the Tigers continue their pursuit of Dominick McKinley, the No. 1 player in Louisiana.
If LSU can land commitments from Mack and McKinley this fall, the Tigers would make history, securing pledges from the Top 10 prospects in Louisiana.
Kelly's efforts in the state have been remarkable. As it stands, 79% of LSU's 19 commitments are from Louisiana. This program has never signed the Top 10 prospects in the state during the modern era of recruiting.
Can Kelly pull it off?
A look into the headliners of LSU's "Louisiana Takeover":
Trey’Dez Green - 2024 Tight End
The 6-foot-6, 240-pound tight end/wide receiver has been on a steady rise throughout high school, but a productive junior campaign saw his recruitment take off. Green tallied several SEC offers over the last few months before revealing his pledge to LSU.
Green finished his junior season with 42 catches for 864 yards – 20.6 yards a reception – and 14 touchdowns, adding a touchdown in 11 of the 12 games he played in.
On the football field he’s a menace, but on the basketball court it’s much of the same. Green has asserted himself as one of the top players in the state due to his sheer dominance inside.
With explosiveness and soft hands, he’s a rim rattler on a routine basis. It appears Green will try to be a dual-sport athlete in college and suit up for Matt McMahon’s squad once at the next level.
Tylen Singleton - 2024 Linebacker
LSU gained a commitment from Louisiana native Tylen Singleton Saturday when the explosive linebacker revealed his pledge to Brian Kelly’s program.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder has some saying he’s built as a safety once in Death Valley, but linebacker is his forte and it’s clear from his tape. Singleton could be the hardest hitting player in Louisiana and is only getting stronger.
A player who moves sideline-to-sideline extremely well, his lateral quickness has him cover the field in the blink of an eye. Once moving in open space, he closes the gap on opponents well in order to slam into others and make play after play.
Ju’Juan Johnson - 2024 Cornerback
The 5-foot-11, 178-pound athlete, who is set to play cornerback at the next level, has been on a steady rise throughout high school, but a productive junior campaign has seen his recruitment take off.
Johnson is a do-it-all athlete. Despite being listed as an athlete, the Tiger pledge will play cornerback for the Tigers once he arrives in Baton Rouge. He’s played both sides of the ball during his high school career (quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back), but he knows where he fits at the next level and that’s at corner.
During his junior campaign, Johnson went on to show out for the Knights by passing for 3,976 yards and 43 touchdowns while rushing for 1,284 yards and 17 additional scores. He proved he can do everything that’s asked of him.
For now, he’s locking in on the cornerback position and how he can continue the “DBU” tradition in Death Valley.
Dashawn McBryde - 2024 Safety
Already at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, the junior defensive back already attains the size and length of a player prepared for the next level. McBryde is long and strong. A guy who will benefit after putting on another 15-20 pounds, his physical traits so young is something this program has to be salivating over.
We’ve seen the results this strength and conditioning program has achieved. Jayden Daniels alone is someone who has lived in the weight room, coming to Baton Rouge at 190 pounds and ending his first 12-14 months on campus at 210 pounds.
During his junior campaign, McBryde set his school’s single season record for interceptions (9), which helped land him All-State honors this past year.
The unique ability of being in the right place at the right time is what propelled him to putting his name in the history books. For McBryde, the film doesn’t lie as he continues sharpening his skill set and reading the defense like a book.
Kolaj Cobbins - 2024 Linebacker
Once in Baton Rouge, expect Cobbins to take on the JACK role for the Tigers. With significant versatility, he has the chance to reach his max potential with new defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey in his corner.
Cobbins is exceptional in open space. He can close the gap in the blink of an eye with his impressive speed, but his ball skills allow him to be in the right place at the right place nine times out of ten.
Cobbins uses his physicality well for his size. With quick feet and the strength to back it up, he’s a prospect who has a chance to fly up the rankings even more by the time it’s all said and done. A 4-star currently, look for the youngster to make an impression as he prepares for his senior year at Destrehan.
Joel Rogers - 2024 Safety
The No. 8 overall player in Louisiana, Brian Kelly and his program added a do-it-all athlete to their 2024 class on Monday.
Rogers is one of the more gifted prospects in the state. A guy who’s played both sides of the ball his entire high school career, he’s projected to pan out as a safety at the next level to carry on the “DBU” tradition in Death Valley just like Johnson.
At 6-foot, 185-pounds, Rogers attains the adequate size and strength of a safety at the next level. With another year in high school, the sky's the limit for the dynamic defensive back.
Rogers’ size allows him to fit the prototypical safety mold. With sideline-to-sideline speed, he moves across the field shot out of a cannon, and it’s only become more impressive over the last 12 months.
Kylan Billiot - 2024 Wide Receiver
The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder has been on a steady rise during high school. He put his name on the map during his junior campaign and has had LSU monitoring his growth ever since.
A raw, athletic wideout who’s beginning to see his ranking rise at a rapid pace, Billiot has proven he has next in Baton Rouge after pledging to the Tigers on Wednesday.
LSU has an impressive track record of developing Louisiana wide receivers. Can Billiot be up next? All signs point to the answer being yes.
