Lane Kiffin hasn’t wasted any time putting his stamp on LSU’s football program. In just a short stretch at the helm in Baton Rouge, he’s already engineered a significant roster overhaul-headlined by landing the No. 1 transfer portal class in the country. Add in a solid Early Signing Period haul with 14 new signees and the retention of key talent, and it’s clear Kiffin is building for now and the future.
But while the 2026 season is shaping up to be a legitimate College Football Playoff push, Kiffin’s eyes are also firmly on 2027 and beyond. That long-term focus is starting to take shape, and it includes a major recruiting target: 4-star wide receiver Miguel Whitley.
Whitley, a top-50 national prospect and the No. 7 wideout in the 2027 Rivals300, announced he’s narrowed his list to five schools-and LSU made the cut. The Tigers are joined by Ohio State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Houston in Whitley’s final group. And make no mistake, this is a recruitment that could shape the early identity of Kiffin’s first full cycle.
Whitley is a homegrown talent out of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, and pulling him to Baton Rouge would be a statement win for Kiffin’s recruiting team.
At 6'0", 170 pounds, Whitley is a dynamic playmaker who put up 46 catches, 869 yards, and 14 touchdowns as a junior. He’s already shown he can be a game-changer on Friday nights-and with another year of high school ball ahead, his stock could rise even further.
But LSU isn’t the only program with strong ties to Whitley’s backyard. Ole Miss, Kiffin’s former team, is still firmly in the mix-and they’ve got a familiar face leading the charge.
Frank Wilson, LSU’s former interim head coach and a longtime ace recruiter in the New Orleans area, is now on Pete Golding’s staff in Oxford. Wilson’s deep connections in the Crescent City will be a factor here, and Tiger fans are watching closely to see whether letting him walk comes back to haunt them.
Still, LSU is in a strong position. The wide receiver room is already loaded heading into 2026, with Michigan State transfer Sam Leavitt taking over at quarterback and a wave of new talent joining the fold.
Kiffin went heavy in the portal, bringing in nine wideouts-Jayce Brown (Kansas State), Winston Watkins (Ole Miss), Eugene Wilson III (Florida), Tre' Brown III (Old Dominion), Jackson Harris (Hawai’i), Malik Elzy (Illinois), Josh Jackson (McNeese), Tyree Holloway (West Florida), and Roman Mothershed (Troy). That’s not just depth-it’s competition, and it sets the stage for a high-powered passing attack.
Landing Whitley wouldn’t be about filling a need-it would be about securing a future star. He’s the kind of player who can headline a class and become a cornerstone for years to come. And for Kiffin, who’s already proven he can reshape a roster in a hurry, adding an elite in-state talent like Whitley in 2027 would only further solidify LSU’s trajectory as a national contender.