Lane Kiffin Pulls Off Massive Recruiting Win After Signing Ole Miss Star TJ Dottery

Ole Miss Rebels linebacker TJ Dottery is Baton Rouge bound after signing with Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers late Friday night, the program revealed via social media.

Dottery made his way to campus on Thursday for a visit with the LSU Tigers where the program quickly started gaining momentum in his process as Kiffin intensified his pursuit.

It became clear that once the 6-foot-2, 230-pounder locked in his visit with LSU that Kiffin and Co. would begin picking up momentum with a commitment then going public late Friday night.

Dottery checks in as a Top-10 linebacker in the NCAA Transfer Portal and a Top-150 overall player with the LSU Tigers now landing another coveted piece to the 2026 roster.

The Alabama native totaled 98 tackles, including 48 solo, to lead the Rebels in both categories across a massive 2025 campaign amid a College Football Playoff run. He also added two forced fumbles, a pair of pass breakups and 1.5 sacks during the season.

Dottery had his breakout season in 2024 where he logged 76 tackles (42 solo) with a pair of sacks, a forced fumble and a PBU where he's accumulated 90 solo tackles (174 total) across his time in Oxford.

BREAKING: Lane Kiffin and the #LSU Tigers have landed a commitment from Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery.

The 6’2, 230-pounder logged 98 total tackles, 2 PBUs + 2 forced fumbles across a strong 2025 campaign.

Kiffin and Co. quickly land the prized SEC transfer after a visit. pic.twitter.com/J7I6Wrn6WL
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) January 17, 2026

Now, the productive defender is heading to Baton Rouge for the 2026 season after making his move official at 11:59 p.m. CT on Friday night.

LSU has now landed commitments from three Ole Miss Rebels following Kiffin's move from Oxford to Baton Rouge.

Along with Dottery, LSU landed ex-Rebels Winston Watkins and Devin Harper.

Watkins checks in as a Top-25 wide receiver in the Transfer Portal where he is coming off of a strong true freshman campaign while Harper sits as the No. 3 rated interior offensive lineman.

Kiffin and Co. are cruising in the NCAA Transfer Portal with the program currently holding the No. 1 class by a wide margin with Dottery's announcement further cementing the Tigers' elite class.

LSU will look to put the finishing touches on the 2026 Transfer Portal Class this weekend with multiple visitors expected on Saturday.

More LSU News:

LSU Football's Transfer Portal Class Skyrockets To The Top After Sam Leavitt Decision

LSU Football's Transfer Portal Departures Quickly Finding New Schools Amid Rebuild

LSU Football Officially Signs No. 1 Transfer Quarterback Sam Leavitt to Portal Class

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