Nebraska is making a hard push at LSU five-star tight end commitment Ahmad Hudson, and the Cornhuskers are trying to sell him on more than football.
Hudson, the Ruston High standout from Ruston, committed to LSU on May 3. He was ranked as the nation’s No. 1 tight end, the No. 3 player in Louisiana and the No. 19 player in the country. At 6-foot-6 and 239 pounds, he has also made it clear he wants to play basketball for the Tigers, too.
That dual-sport angle is where Nebraska appears to be gaining traction. Tigerbait.com writer Preston Guy told Tiger Rag Radio on Tuesday night that the Cornhuskers are leaning into the basketball piece in a way LSU has not.
“Nebraska wants him to be a part of the basketball team and is putting the money on the table,” Guy said. “LSU is more like, ‘We’ll allow you to do both,’ but I don’t think Will Wade (LSU basketball coach) is doling out NIL money for him when Will Wade knows his priority is going to be football.”
Hudson’s interest in both sports may be real enough to keep this one from going away quickly. His father, Antonio Hudson, played basketball at LSU, and Guy said the younger Hudson is not simply looking at football as his only lane.
“He wants to be a true dual athlete,” Guy said. “He likes the idea of forging his own path.”
That makes Hudson a situation LSU coach Lane Kiffin and Wade will need to track closely.
Meanwhile, another major LSU recruiting target appears to be off the board. Five-star wide receiver Easton Royal of Brother Martin in New Orleans has canceled future visits to LSU and switched his commitment from Texas to Florida over the weekend.
“His recruiting is shut down,” Guy said. “He had two visits scheduled to LSU.
He’s not going to take either one of those. He’s done taking visits.
And I’m sure at this point, there’s a financial arrangement that has him locked in. Part of the agreement probably is, ‘You cannot take another visit.'”
Guy said Florida is paying Royal between $1.6 and $2 million.
“It’s over, over,” Guy said. “You never say never in high school recruiting, but I believe this one is truly over. Easton Royal will play at least his first year in college in Gainesville.”
In Other News...
LSU Has Bigger Problems Than A Homecoming Kickoff Debate
LSUs week has turned into one long reminder that the biggest issue in Baton Rouge is not the homecoming kickoff time. After dropping to 22nd in the rankings following the loss to Kentucky, the Tigers are still trying to steady themselves heading into Mississippi State, with linebacker TJ Dottery and coach Lane Kiffin both stressing the need for cleaner execution. The schedule gripe has drawn some student reaction, but it sits well behind the more immediate concern of getting the football team back on track.
The campus mood could use a lift, and the mens basketball team provided one with an 85-81 win over UCF in a wildly thin rotation. LSU played with only six players amid an eligibility controversy, yet Donovan Dent still delivered the game-winning layup and Abdi Bashir Jr. led the way in scoring. It was the kind of gritty result that gives the program something to point to while the football side works through its own far bigger problems. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Bounce-Back Bid Comes With One Big SEC Concern
LSU heads into Week 7 looking to steady itself at home against Mississippi State after the loss to Kentucky, and the Tigers have enough on their plate already without adding another layer of uncertainty. This is the kind of SEC game that can turn quickly if the matchup script changes early, especially with both teams dealing with injuries and LSU still trying to get back to the level of consistency that made it dangerous in the first place.
Mississippi States quarterback situation is the wrinkle LSU will be watching closely, because the Bulldogs offensive outlook shifts depending on who is available. For LSU, the path back starts with cleaner work on both sides of the ball, better execution in key moments and a sharper response than the one it showed a week ago, but the bigger question is whether the Tigers can prepare for the version of Mississippi State that actually shows up. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Catch A Huge Break In Mississippi State's Backfield
Mississippi State arrives on LSUs schedule with a couple of key offensive questions hanging over its backfield, and both of them trace back to the same injury-hit trip through Alabama. Quarterback Kamario Taylor and running back Fluff Bothwell were each listed as questionable for the matchup with LSU after leaving the previous game hurt, leaving Jeff Lebby and his staff to sort through contingency plans as kickoff gets closer.
For LSU, the uncertainty matters because the Bulldogs offense could look very different if either player is limited or unavailable. Lebby has already identified possible replacements, but the Tigers will be watching to see whether Mississippi State can get either Taylor or Bothwell back in time, since their status could shape how much stress LSUs defense has to absorb on Saturday. [Read more 🡒]