Three Louisiana Prospects LSU Football Must Land in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers football staff brought in the top prospects from Louisiana for the program's "Boys from the Boot" Junior Day recruiting event on Saturday.

It was the first big recruiting weekend of the year for the LSU program with the staff swinging for the fences on multiple coveted targets.

With programs across the country holding important events on Saturday, the LSU staff turned up the heat on several targets in order to get them to Death Valley.

Kelly and Co. hosted multiple blue-chippers from the Bayou State with the Tigers beginning to turn up the heat on their priority targets.

LSU currently holds five commitments in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle with the handful of pledges residing in Louisiana.

Now, with a point of emphasis being placed on Louisiana recruits, which three targets are "must haves" in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle?

The 2026 Crowned Jewels: Blaine Bradford and Lamar Brown

Blaine Bradford: No. 1 Safety in America

Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic High safety Blaine Bradford remains one of the most coveted prospects in America as he navigates a busy offseason on the recruiting trail.

Bradford, who's rated as the No. 1 safety in the 2026 Recruiting Class, has LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Alabama and Ohio State firmly in the race for his commitment as he works through a rigorous process.

The top-ranked safety in America has a slew of potential suitors, but the hometown school is gaining momentum relatively early in the process.

Bradford has taken trips to each of his finalists with his most recent trip being to the LSU Tigers over the weekend where he dropped in for Saturday's Junior Day event.

A Bayou State native, the Tigers are pushing hard for the coveted safety right down the road from Death Valley.

He's a player at the top of their 2026 "must haves" with defensive backs coaches Corey Raymond and Jake Olsen ramping up their push.

Lamar Brown: No. 1 IOL in America

Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab five-star interior offensive lineman Lamar Brown ranks as the No. 1 player in Louisiana as he gears up for his senior campaign.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder has cruised up the recruiting rankings as the top prep player in the Bayou State with a slew of elite programs pushing for his services.

Now, with the offseason in full swing, Brown has begun scheduling visits to check out college programs.

After checking out the Tulane Green Wave last weekend, Brown visited LSU on Saturday. He checked in for his visit and was with the LSU staff for a beneficial day on campus.

Kelly and the LSU Tigers continue their pursuit of the top talent in the state and that includes the likes of Brown.

He's the top-ranked overall player in the Bayou State as well as the No. 1 offensive lineman in America. Brown is also a candidate to play defensive line at the collegiate level as a talent that can handle business on both sides of the ball.

The No. 1 WR in Louisiana: Jabari Mack

Destrehan (La.) wideout Jabari Mack continues feeling the love from the likes of LSU, Texas and Texas A&M as his recruiting process ramps up.

Now, The Boot's top receiver has wrapped up a trip to Baton Rouge for a visit with Kelly and the LSU program on Saturday.

Mack, the No. 1 wideout in Louisiana, received a scholarship from his hometown program in early 2024 with wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton monitoring the 2026 star.

Mack made his way to campus in late July for LSU's annual Bayou Splash recruiting event alongside several of the top prospects in America.

For the top-ranked wideout in the Bayou State, he's seen premier programs turn up the heat, but LSU is certainly making a move in his recruitment.

Mack had one-on-one time with Brian Kelly, soaked in the scenes of Death Valley and had time to talk shop with other premier prospects during his recent stay on campus, a source tells LSU Tigers On SI.

The 6-foot, 192-pounder has received offers from Auburn, Florida State, Mississippi State, Nebraska and Penn State, among others as his rise continues.

But he's also officially released his Top-10 schools after trimming his list:

Florida State Seminoles
LSU Tigers
Michigan Wolverines
Alabama Crimson Tide
Oregon Ducks
Tennessee Volunteers
Texas Longhorns
Texas A&M Aggies
Ohio State Buckeyes
Nebraska Cornhuskers

Mack has hauled in offers from the top programs in America and his offer list proves just that.

The Louisiana native will work through a big-time offseason leading up to his senior campaign with the Destrehan (La.) Wildcats in 2025.

More LSU News:

LSU Adds Commitments From Seven Top-100 Transfers in the Portal

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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