LSU Football Battling SEC Rival for Elite Defensive Line Commit, Georgia Native

No. 11 LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC) continues preparation for a Week 7 clash against the South Carolina Gamecocks with the program looking to get back in the win column.

Following a Week 5 loss to the Ole Miss Rebels prior to a Week 6 open date, Brian Kelly and Co. have pressed the reset button on the field in order to get back on track.

Off the field, the Bayou Bengals are looking to continue their recruiting run after assembling a strong 2026 Recruiting Class to this point.

From Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab five-star athlete Lamar Brown to Pensacola (Fla.) Pine Forest five-star edge rusher Trenton Henderson, the LSU coaching staff has assembled an elite haul.

As the Early Signing Period in December nears, the program will be looking to hold onto the current class as "flip season" arrives across recruiting scene.

Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill four-star defensive lineman Deuce Geralds continues his rise as one of the top prospects in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle after a stellar junior season in 2024.

LSU Tigers Football: Deuce Geralds. — Courtesy of Deuce Geralds' Instagram.

Geralds, a Top-15 defensive lineman in America, has reeled in offers from the LSU Tigers, Ole Miss Rebels, Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Michigan Wolverines, among others, across his time on the prep scene.

But it's Brian Kelly and the Bayou Bengals that hold the verbal commitment after the Peach State defender went public with a pledge in August.

"With LSU it’s been my dream school growing up my whole life,” Geralds told Rivals. “I loved LSU since I was a little kid. It’s my hometown.

"I have family there. I just want to come back home and turn up Baton Rouge and the 225 and I want to be part of that.

“I’ve been wanting to be part of that since I was a little kid. To be part of it now is a blessing and dream come true.”

But the commitment decision hasn't stopped the likes of the Ole Miss Rebels and Ohio State Buckeyes, among others, from keeping in contact with Geralds.

Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels have kept a foot on the gas for Geralds despite a pledge elsewhere where the coaching staff is battling for the legacy recruit.

Geralds' father played for the Rebels with the program looking to keep the name alive in the Magnolia State.

Now, Ole Miss is picking up steam for the Top-15 defensive lineman in America, according to multiple reports.

247Sports' David Johnson logged a prediction in favor of the Ole Miss Rebels successfully flipping the LSU Tigers pledge this week after locking in the pick.

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers Football program pursuing Deuce Geralds. — Courtesy of Deuce Geralds' X/Twitter: @DeuceGeralds.

LSU and Ole Miss will continue battling for the talented Peach State defender until the buzzer with the Tigers looking to get Geralds back in town for an unofficial visit this fall.

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU Tigers.