Can LSU Earn Commitment of In-State 4-Star, Flip Texas Longhorns Pledge?

Tigers in hot pursuit for pair of dynamic receivers in 2027 recruiting class

LSU coach Lane Kiffin and 5-star wide receiver target Easton Royal | Easton Royal, X

LSU's 2027 quarterback commit Peyton Houston has become the most influential voice in his class when it comes to helping the Tigers recruit top prospects across the country.

He's working hard behind the scenes to bring wide receiver targets Easton Royal and Miguel Whitley into the fold, but there's one major obstacle ahead of them. There are a handful of SEC rivals in contention for both highly sought-after playmakers.

Whitley, 6-foot, 170 pounds, has fielded offers from schools across the country, including Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas Tech, Nebraska and many others.

He is the No. 191-ranked athlete in the country for 2027, No. 28 among wide receivers and No. 9 among players in Louisiana, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Miguel Whitley lines up to during practice for St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. | Courtesy of Miguel Whitley's Instagram.

As a junior, he caught 46 passes for 869 yards and 14 touchdowns for St. Augustine High School in the heart of downtown New Orleans.

He released a top five list of LSU, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Houston on Jan. 26, though Arkansas has made up ground under new coach Ryan Silverfield and receivers coach Larry Smith.

The Tigers have positioned themselves well to land Whitley's service, given that they are his final official visit the weekend of June 19. Getting the final official visit often gives coaching staffs the last opportunity to control momentum before decision time, especially for a recruit fielding heavy interest from SEC opponents.

Whitley's Spring Visit List

• Ohio State Buckeyes, March 28
• Arkansas Razorbacks, April 25
• Ole Miss Rebels, May 29
• Tennessee Volunteers, June 12
• LSU Tigers, June 19

Whitley isn't the only offensive skill player Houston wants to bring to Baton Rouge either.

Royal, a fellow New Orleans native, set a Louisiana High School track and field record in the 100-meter dash after blazing to a 10.17 second time.

Went out with a bang!
100m - 10.17
200m - 20.84
4x1 - 41.32 walk down win
One of them ones!#agtg pic.twitter.com/wzasdM70Yb

— Easton Royal🙏🏾⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@easton_3k) May 10, 2026

Although firmly committed to the Longhorns, LSU's staff has still dialed up press coverage in an attempt to keep Royal home. Should the Tigers find a way to flip him, it would be a move that sends shockwaves across the SEC and solidifies early momentum for Kiffin's tenure.

He announced his pledge to Texas soon after the team's victory over archrival Texas A&M on Thanksgiving weekend and just before coach Lane Kiffin was hired in Baton Rouge.

With No. 1 in-state prospect in 5-star tight end Ahmad Hudson already in the fold, LSU is aggressively trying to stack as much elite Louisiana talent in the class as possible.

Royal can't get away from the LSU love, as classmates at Brother Martin High School are trying to convince him to stay home and play for the Tigers.

“All day at school, all of my friends are pushing me to flip to the LSU Tigers,” Royal told Fox 8-New Orleans last month. “You only get this process once. So, I’m committed to Texas, but I’m still trying to figure out if that’s the best decision for me.

"The ultimate end goal is to make the best decision for my family and me. Coach Lane [Kiffin] and I are building a relationship. He texts me often, just telling me to have a good week, sending me videos, motivating me, and recruiting me to be an LSU Tiger.”

LSU Tigers coach Lane Kiffin watches his team during practice | Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Kiffin’s staff has already built a strong foundation with this class with Braylon Calais and Ah'Mari Stevens, which gives LSU flexibility to aggressively pursue perimeter talent such as Royal and Whitley.

LSU’s ability to consistently lock down elite in-state skill talent has historically been one of the clearest indicators that the program can compete for national championships.

If Kiffin can keep both elite athletes home, it would send a clear message that LSU’s grip on Louisiana skill talent remains as strong as ever.

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