LSU’s 2027 recruiting class got another boost on July 7 when Ruston four-star safety Jayden Anding announced his commitment to the Tigers.
Anding picked LSU over Ole Miss and made the call public on his social media pages. He’ll also be joining family in Baton Rouge, where his older brother, Aidan, is already a sophomore cornerback.
The addition gives LSU another defensive piece in a class that has started to build real momentum. The Tigers have landed two safeties in the last week, with Karnell “Greedy” James joining the class over the Fourth of July weekend.
With Anding in the fold, LSU now has five defensive prospects committed in its 2027 class. The Tigers also sit with the 11th-best recruiting class in the cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Anding is ranked No. 311 nationally, No. 11 in Louisiana and No. 26 at his position.
James, meanwhile, comes in as a four-star safety ranked No. 282 nationally, No. 43 in his state and No. 24 at his position. He flipped his commitment from Texas after being pledged to the Longhorns since December.
LSU’s class is loaded with names across the board. On offense, the Tigers have commitments from Gary Burney Jr., Trey Martin, Tre Segarra, Terrance Smith, Amaziah Siale, Cade Cooper, Brennan Lacy, Peyton Houston, Braylon Calais and Ah’Mari Stevens. On defense, the group includes Chris Whitehead, Markez Davis, KJ Green and Ahmad Hudson, along with Anding and James.
Whitehead is a five-star defensive end and the top player in Virginia. Green is considered the second-best defensive end in the 2027 class behind Ohio State commit DJ Jacobs. Hudson is the top-rated tight end prospect in the country, per the 247Sports Composite.
Houston, a Shreveport native, is a four-star quarterback ranked No. 125 nationally, No. 6 in the state and No. 9 at his position. Calais, from Carencro, is a top-10 athlete recruit in the nation and projects to wide receiver at 6-2, 200. Stevens, a 5-11, 160-pound speedster, committed on April 17 and is expected to play slot receiver.
Burney, from Bossier City, brings size and speed to the receiver room. Martin, a Louisiana running back, is embracing competition after LSU added two backs to the class.
Segarra, a 5-11, 210-pound tailback with a soccer background, is viewed as one of the country’s top 10 running backs. Smith said he wanted a school where he could develop, and LSU’s offense was a big part of that decision.
Siale, a 6-6, 360-pound tackle, was once committed to Cal and has drawn strong interest from LSU offensive line coach Eric Wolford. Davis, ranked No. 744 nationally, No. 21 in his state and No. 59 at his position, projects to cornerback.
Lacy is the first running back to join the class and is listed as a multisport athlete.
LSU now holds commitments from four of the top 11 recruits in the 2027 class.
In Other News...
LSU Just Won Another Big In-State Battle In The Secondary
LSUs push to stay ahead of the curve in the secondary picked up another important in-state win, and this one fits the long view the staff has been selling. The Tigers have been working not just on the upcoming season, but on the 2027 cycle as well, and adding a highly regarded Louisiana defensive back keeps that pipeline moving in the right direction.
The latest commitment also gives LSU a chance to think beyond the immediate depth chart. The prospect arrives with plenty of room to grow and should have time to develop before he is asked to make a real impact, and there is at least some built-in familiarity around the program with his brother already on the roster. For a team trying to stack talent in the state and keep the secondary stocked for years to come, it is the kind of move that can pay off in more ways than one. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Opener Already Has Clemson Facing Massive Pressure
Clemsons season opener against LSU is already carrying the kind of weight that usually comes later in the fall, with ESPN and ACC Network analyst EJ Manuel calling it a must-win game for the Tigers playoff hopes. With LSU on the other sideline, the matchup gives Clemson an early chance to build a rsum that could matter plenty if the ACC schedule gets messy down the line, and it also arrives with plenty of attention on how the offense will look under returning coordinator Chad Morris.
The quarterback picture is part of why the buildup feels so unsettled. Christopher Vizzina is viewed as the favorite to start, but Tait Reynolds is considered a real challenger, and Clemsons decision not to send a quarterback to ACC Kickoff only added to the sense that the competition is still open. For a team trying to make a statement right away, the opener now feels like more than just a high-profile game - it is also an early test of how quickly Clemson can settle its most important position. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Running Back Battle Just Took A Frustrating New Turn
LSUs running back room has become one of the more interesting parts of the roster heading into the fall, and not just because of the names on it. Dilin Jones arrives from Wisconsin with a rsum that includes seven starts, 300 rushing yards and two touchdowns before a toe injury ended his season, while Caden Durham and Harlem Berry both bring their own flashes from last year. Add in the extra portal help LSU brought in, and there is no shortage of bodies for a staff that wants competition to sort out the depth chart.
Still, the frustration comes from how hard it is to know what the Tigers will actually get once the games start. Durham never topped 70 rushing yards in any of LSUs final nine games after his 95-yard outing against Florida, and Berrys best moments were often swallowed up by game flow, including the Texas A&M matchup when he was rolling before the run game faded from the plan. Lane Kiffins approach is to give everyone a fresh chance, but for LSU, the real question is whether that reset leads to clarity or just a longer wait for answers. [Read more 🡒]