LSU Country

Three Notable Signings From Lane Kiffin's Elite First Class With LSU Football

Lane Kiffin and Co. inked multiple blue-chippers in the 2026 Signing Class, staff closes the deal during Early Signing Period.
Zack Nagy|
Courtesy of Richard Anderson's Instagram [via: @joshkrajcer].

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Lane Kiffin's first signing class with the LSU Tigers is officially in after landing double-digit players across the Early Signing Period this week.

After arriving in Baton Rouge last Sunday, Kiffin immediately began working the phone lines with his staff both looking to retain and add players to the 2026 Recruiting Class.

"That is our number one focus right now is to sign the best class that we possibly can Wednesday," Kiffin said on Monday during his introductory press conference.

"Also, we have big-picture thinking too. We're not reaching or we're not signing kids because they're from this school or that school or any of that stuff, okay? We're going to sign the best players that we can on Wednesday.

"I know what the interest was of players nationally to come play for us where we were just at, and now when you put that with this stadium and with that logo, it makes me want to get on the phone right now."

Now, with the Early Signing Period in the rearview mirror, Kiffin and Co. have locked in 14 signees to the 2026 Recruiting Class.

Yes, it isn't 25-plus like "normal" LSU classes may have, but the new staff in Baton Rouge took a "quality over quantity" approach with the Tigers holding the highest average player grade of 93.81, according to 247Sports.

Three Notable Signings: Kiffin's First Class

No. 1: Lamar Brown - No. 1 Prospect in America

Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab five-star prospect Lamar Brown put pen to paper with the LSU Tigers on Friday afternoon with Kiffin and Co. officially signing the No. 1 prospect in America.

Brown, the top-ranked recruit 2026 Cycle, made the decision to commit to the LSU Tigers in July with the Bayou Bengals then landing the top-ranked recruit in America.

After making it to Tiger Stadium for every home game on the 2025 schedule, Brown remained loyal to the Bayou Bengals, but coaching changes in Baton Rouge made the final stretch "rocky" in his process.

“They want to see how the new staff is being built out,” Brown’s representation told Rivals' Sam Spiegelman. “They had relationships with the old staff, with Blake and Frank. They want to get a chance to build a relationship with the new staff.

“They’re staying committed to them, and they want to see how committed they are. They’re staying committed, but we don’t know what the future holds.”

Then, after back-and-forth with the LSU staff, Brown made up his mind. He's a Tiger and is devoted to the coaches in Baton Rouge.

No. 2: Richard Anderson - No. 1 DT in America

New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr five-star defensive lineman Richard Anderson officially submitted his paperwork to the LSU Tigers and has signed with Kiffin and the new staff in Baton Rouge this week.

Anderson, the No. 1 defensive lineman in America, revealed a commitment to the LSU Tigers in June of 2024 with the LSU staff fighting off multiple schools down the stretch, including Steve Sarkisian's Texas Longhorns.

The 6-foot-4, 335-pounder captured 5A All-State honors during the 2024 season after logging 44 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 18 quarterback hurries, two interceptions and a touchdown last fall.

No. 3: Brysten Martinez - No. 1 OL in Louisiana

Gonzales (La.) East Ascension four-star offensive tackle Brysten Martinez officially signed his paperwork with the LSU Tigers on Wednesday despite a late push from the Texas Longhorns.

Martinez, the No. 1 offensive lineman in Louisiana, verbally committed to the LSU Tigers in February after going public with a decision to lock in things with the hometown program.

For Kiffin and Co. to get this one over the finish line is a massive win for the program amid a strong, strong push from Steve Sarkisian's Texas Longhorns.

Now, the 6-foot-6, 290-pounder is officially a Tiger.

Honorable Mention: Havon Finney Jr. - Top-10 Cornerback

Los Angeles (Calif.) Sierra Canyon four-star cornerback Havon Finney Jr. officially signed with the LSU Tigers on Wednesday.

The Top-10 defensive back in America has emerged as one of the most coveted prospects in the 2026 Recruiting Class after reclassifying last spring - electing to skip his junior campaign.

Prior to making the move to reclassify, Finney was the No. 1 rated cornerback in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle with a myriad of programs battling it out for his services.

In what became a three-team race between the LSU Tigers, USC Trojans, and Michigan Wolverines, the Bayou Bengals ultimately won out for the verbal commitment in April when he went public with a decision.

"This process has been great, it's a blessing," Finney said of his recruiting process. "It's always been a dream of mine to get to this point, and now I'm here."

More LSU News:

LSU Football Hires Elite Offensive Coordinator, Five Assistant to Lane Kiffin's Staff

Three Takeaways From Lane Kiffin's Introductory Press Conference With LSU Football

Lane Kiffin Reveals How Nick Saban, Pete Carroll Influenced Decision to LSU Football

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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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