LSU’s 2026 recruiting class took a hit in the latest Rivals rankings, and the numbers tell a rough story for Lane Kiffin’s first group.
The Tigers entered the update with plenty of buzz, but that momentum didn’t carry over into the new rankings. LSU no longer has a five-star committed in the class after Ahmad Hudson slid from the top tier. Hudson, the program’s highest-ranked pledge and the No. 1 tight end in the cycle, is now listed as a four-star and the No. 3 tight end.
He wasn’t the only one to drop. Seven of LSU’s top 10 committed prospects fell in the latest update, while only two held steady.
Edge defender Chris Whitehead and running back Trey Martin stayed put, and the newest addition, safety Jayden Anding, was the lone riser among the group, moving from No. 28 to No. 27.
A couple of the biggest drops came on the offensive and defensive lines and in the secondary. Offensive tackle Terrance Smith fell from No. 12 at his position to No.
- Cornerback Greedy James, a major flip from Texas, dropped from No. 28 to No.
On paper, rankings are only part of the story. What matters most is what these players become once they get to campus, and LSU has shown it can develop talent into real contributors.
But for Kiffin and his staff, the perception piece matters too. With expectations already running high, the early baseline they set in year one can shape how much patience the fan base is willing to give as the class comes together.
The names in the class haven’t changed, and neither has the talent that made LSU push for them in the first place. But the updated rankings definitely landed as a slight to the Tigers’ haul, and that should give this group plenty of motivation once they arrive in Baton Rouge.
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