Despite a whirlwind of a coaching transition, LSU didn’t miss a beat on the recruiting trail - and the Tigers may have landed a game-changer in the process. Lane Kiffin’s first high school class in Baton Rouge features several high-upside prospects, but one name towers above the rest: Lamar Brown.
Brown, a 6’4”, 293-pound two-way standout from Baton Rouge, is the kind of player who doesn’t just fill a roster spot - he reshapes expectations. Rated by 247Sports as the top player in Louisiana and a top-five national prospect in the 2026 cycle, Brown brings elite-level traits that could make him an immediate contributor in the SEC. And that’s not just hype - ESPN tabbed him as the most “college-ready” freshman defensive lineman in the country.
What makes Brown so intriguing isn’t just his physical tools - though those are hard to ignore. He’s already testing like a pro.
His three-cone drill and vertical leap numbers stack up in the top 15% of NFL defensive tackle prospects over the last five years. That’s not normal for a high school senior.
That’s rare territory.
Defensively, Brown has drawn comparisons to former five-star Rashan Gary - a disruptive force who went on to become a first-round NFL draft pick. Offensively?
Some evaluators see shades of Trey Smith, another elite high school prospect who developed into a dominant offensive guard. Brown has the footwork, the flexibility, and the natural knee bend that offensive line coaches dream about.
He’s not just a project on either side of the ball - he’s a plug-and-play option.
But Brown’s value goes beyond the measurables. He’s a leader - a tone-setter - and that’s something LSU will lean on as they transition into the Kiffin era. Whether he lines up on the defensive front or eventually shifts to guard, Brown has the kind of versatility and maturity that coaches love to build around.
It’s exceedingly rare to find a freshman who could realistically compete for starting snaps on both lines in the SEC. That’s trench warfare at its highest level.
But Brown is that kind of outlier. He’s not just a foundational piece for LSU’s future - he might be part of the foundation from day one.