LSU Football, Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs Headline Top SEC Recruiting Hauls

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers reeled in a pair of commitments this past weekend with the program adding to the Top-10 Recruiting Class in the 2026 cycle.

On Friday, Kelly and Co. landed a pledge from Lafayette (La.) Acadiana three-star defensive lineman Darryus McKinley after going public with a decision.

McKinley, the No. 3 rated defensive lineman in Louisiana, committed to the Bayou Bengals over the Texas Longhorns, Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers down the stretch.

Less than 24 hours later, LSU added Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill four-star defensive lineman Deuce Geralds to the 2026 Recruiting Class.

The Top-10 prospect in the Peach State is a three-year starter for his program with 35 games under his belt, according MaxPreps, where he has tallied 37.5 sacks, 90 quarterback hurries and 261 tackles – 77.5 for loss

Now, LSU has landed at No. 8 in the Team Recruiting Rankings, according to Rivals, with multiple blue-chippers pledged to the program.

The Southeastern Conference makes up half of the Top-10 in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle from a rankings perspective.

- No. 1: USC Trojans
- No. 2: Georgia Bulldogs
- No. 3: Oregon Ducks
- No. 4: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- No. 5: Texas Longhorns
- No. 6: Texas A&M Aggies
- No. 7: Alabama Crimson Tide
- No. 8: LSU Tigers
- No. 9: Ohio State Buckeyes
- No. 10: Miami Hurricanes

The LSU Headliners: 2026 Recruiting Class Edition

Tristen Keys: No. 1 WR in America

The top-ranked receiver led his Hattiesburg High School squad to a 13-1 record in 2024 after logging 58 receptions for 1,275 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns where he quickly emerged as the top wideout in America.

Fresh off of a dominant junior campaign, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound wideout began evaluating schools in his process, but it's the LSU Tigers that currently hold the commitment.

Lamar Brown: No. 1 Athlete in America

Brown, the No. 1 rated athlete in America, chose the hometown Tigers over the Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Longhorns and Miami Hurricanes down the stretch.

Since the commitment from Brown, the LSU program has intensified its pursuit on the recruiting scene with the Tigers now sitting with a Top-10 Recruiting Class in the 2026 cycle.

That includes six total commitments along the defensive line with Brown set to headline a dominant haul in the trenches.

Aside from Brown, the No. 2 overall prospect in America, LSU has landed multiple blue-chip defensive linemen:

- Trenton Henderson: No. 1 EDGE in Florida
- Richard Anderson: No. 2 DL in America
- Deuce Geralds: Top-10 DL in America
- DeAnthony Lafayette: No. 5 EDGE in Florida
- Darryus McKinley: Three-Star DL

Jabari Mack: No. 1 WR in Louisiana

Mack, the No. 1 rated wideout in Louisiana, selected the Bayou Bengals over the likes of the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies down the stretch of his process.

What led to the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder to make the decision to remain in the Bayou State? The chance to play in front of his friends and family.

“A big part of it for LSU is that stay-home mentality,” Mack told On3 Sports in February. “I hear that a lot from the coaches. I am always hearing from coach (Cortez) Hankton, Coach (Joe) Sloan and Coach (Frank) Wilson (III). The staff is cool, and I like Coach Hankton a lot because he keeps it real.

"He develops receivers too. LSU is easy for me to get to, and I like the environment up there. It feels crazy on game day. My family would get the chance to see me play, and I’d be with guys I already have a brotherhood with.”

More LSU News:

LSU Football, Texas Longhorns and Michigan Wolverines Trending in Recruiting

LSU Football and Notre Dame Fighting Irish Making Early Impression on Top Cornerback

No. 1 Athlete in America, Five-Star LSU Football Commit Helping Recruit Top Prospect

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