Pair of LSU Commits Taking Visits Elsewhere, Keeping Options Open

The LSU Tigers have been on a recruiting tear as of late, securing gifted 2023 prospects consistently over the last two months. Specifically in the secondary, this program has been putting in work, landing 4-star safety Kylin Jackson who adds a different element to the defensive backs in this cycle.

Along with Jackson, blue-chip recruits Daylen Austin and Ryan Yaites are committed to the Tigers, but are certainly keeping their options open right now.

Austin, a Long Beach, Calif. native, is planning a few official visits this fall before the early National Signing Day. Still locked in with the Tigers, the shutdown cornerback and 4-star prospect has been a hot name on the market recently.

#Geaux pic.twitter.com/twuJYyG9zE
— DAYLEN AUSTIN 🦇 (@DaylenAustin4) June 29, 2022

Austin’s relationship with Brian Kelly is what drew him to Baton Rouge, stating that is one of the main factors in what led him to commit to LSU.

"Brian Kelly moved from Notre Dame and he had already recruited me when he was up at Notre Dame," Austin told SI All-American. "And then Coach (Robert) Steeples, he started recruiting me as soon as he got there."

"I knew they wanted me and when I got up there I felt the vibe," he recalled of his visit to Baton Rouge. "Just the history behind LSU, the culture and everything. They already got the name 'DBU.’ Even though Corey Raymond still left they're still gonna be on a pedestal. I already pictured myself playing in the SEC."

8 ball corner pocket. A Clovis coach made some negative comments at halftime to Daylen Austin, and apparently remembered. Punt return for a TD Poly up 49-7 3:07 Q3 pic.twitter.com/hPvh21s5ok
— The562.org (@562sports) August 19, 2022

Schools specifically recruiting Austin are Michigan State, Penn State, Oklahoma and Oregon. Austin has already been to Michigan State, growing a close relationship with them due to his uncle being close with head coach Mel Tucker, but Austin plans to take a few more visits as well this fall.

Looking to visit the four schools this fall, along with LSU, Austin has a busy stretch coming up during his senior season. The lockdown cornerback still remains locked in with LSU, but wants to still get the most of his recruiting experience.

"I'm still strong with LSU but I wanna get my full high school recruiting experience and take all of my official visits. So that's all that is," he said.

For Yaites, the 4-star safety has Oklahoma in the mix, battling it out with LSU. One of the first commitments in the 2023 cycle, the Tigers have continued to keep their foot on the gas for him.

This week Yaites told On3 that the Sooners are making quite the push for him.

“At first, I was basically locked in [with LSU],” he said. “And then when OU came in, I was like, ‘I’m going to open it up just to them.’ And this right now is just a race for OU and LSU.”

The Tigers aren’t too worried when it comes to Yaites taking visits elsewhere and keeping his options open, saying he’s spoken to the LSU staff about other visits with them giving him the thumbs up.

Related: Assessing the LSU QB Situation

After a commitment to LSU in early April, there is one school pushing to flip 4-star safety Ryan Yaites👀

Read (On3+): https://t.co/B98HGl2R9e pic.twitter.com/UA13kjUGr5
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) August 18, 2022

“They were very confident in me in this whole process, and they were the ones who let me go on these trips,” Yaites told On3’s Gerry Hamilton on Thursday. “I think they stand pretty good still, and they’re still No. 1 on my list. That’s pretty much it. They’re very confident in me, I’m very confident in them, and we’ve brought in a pretty good class, and I was one of the first to commit. It’s kind of crazy to see how much the class has built up, and it just goes to show that Brian Kelly really can recruit.”

Despite both Yaites and Austin exploring their options, the two remain locked in on the Tigers and the 2023 class LSU has built to this point.