LSU Country

No. 2 Safety in America, Five-Star LSU Football Target Responds to Flip Rumors

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers remain in pursuit of the Louisiana five-star, currently committed to Ohio State.
Zack Nagy|
Courtesy of Blaine Bradford's Instagram.

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Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic High five-star safety Blaine Bradford announced a commitment to Ryan Day and the National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes in March after going public with a decision.

Bradford, the No. 2 safety in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle, emerged as one of the most sought-after prospects in America with the LSU Tigers a contender early in his process.

The Louisiana native spent the spring visiting multiple programs including LSU, Ohio State, Oregon and Notre Dame with his attention quickly turning towards the Buckeyes.

Then, the No. 2 rated safety in the nation announced a pledge to Day and Co. after a rigorous recruiting battle.

“It has been about consistency with Ohio State,” he told On3’s Chad Simmons prior to his commitment. “I have had a lot of good conversations with coach Ryan Day and I can talk about anything with coach G (Matt Guerierri).

"They won a national championship this season, they can put people into the NFL every year and they have great people around the program.”

But Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers continue keeping tabs on the five-star safety right in the program's backyard.

Bradford, a Baton Rouge native, has been surrounded by the Bayou Bengals his entire career with his brother now set to take the field in Tiger Stadium in 2025 as a true freshman.

But Bradford has chosen his own path with a commitment to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

On Friday, news broke that Ohio State Director of Player Personnel, Sam Petitto, will depart the Buckeyes and make his way to Baton Rouge as LSU Football’s Director of Scouting and Personnel Strategy.

It's a move that immediately sent shockwaves across college football with LSU adding one of the sport's most respected front office figures.

Petitto, a Louisiana native with an impressive track record, spent nearly a decade working under Alabama head coach Nick Saban prior to heading to Ohio State.

The notable piece to know: Ohio State currently holds the commitment of Bradford heading into the fall.

Petitto has emerged as a weapon for program's on the recruiting scene where he also assisted in the Alabama Crimson Tide signing Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver, DeVonta Smith, years ago.

Now, with the recent news of Petitto set to join the LSU personnel department, LSU's 2026 Recruiting Class has begun their push to flip Bradford from Ohio State.

It all started with the No. 1 overall prospect in Louisiana, and recent LSU commitment, Lamar Brown.

The No. 1 prospect in The Boot is all in on the Bayou Bengals after virtually shutting things down in his process.

"I’m locked in man ain’t none of that 'it ain’t over til the ink dry' everybody had their chance I’m just blessed to be able call lsu home if you not with us then you TIGER BAIT!!!," Brown wrote via X.

Now, he has his recruiting cap on as he intensifies his push for fellow Baton Rouge five-star, Blaine Bradford.

But Bradford also took to social media on Friday to silence the outside noise after commenting on Rivals' Hayes Fawcett's Instagram post.

The response "ong" means "On God," with Bradford somewhat reaffirming his commitment to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The No. 2 safety in America remains committed to Ryan Day and the defending National Champions, but the fall months immediately becomes a stretch of intrigue with the LSU Tigers looking to re-intensify their pursuit.

More LSU News:

The Buzz: LSU Football Trending for Multiple Targets on the Recruiting Trail

LSU Baseball's Derek Curiel Named D1 Baseball's National Freshman of the Year

LSU Football Beats Out Texas Longhorns and Florida Gators for Five-Star EDGE

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

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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