The race for Easton Royal has turned into one of the most closely watched recruiting swings in the country, and LSU now looks like the team with the edge.
Royal, the nation’s top wide receiver recruit, turns 17 on Wednesday. The Brother Martin standout has been committed to Texas since late November, but that hasn’t stopped the rest of college football from circling. On July 17, On3 and Rivals vice president of national college football recruiting Steve Wiltfong logged an expert prediction for Royal to flip from Texas to LSU, and the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine now gives LSU an 86 percent chance to land him.
A lot of this has been building since the day Royal picked Texas. Lane Kiffin was introduced at LSU the next day and reached out quickly, and Wiltfong said that in a December conversation at the Under Armour All-American Game, Kiffin told Royal the Tigers were going to put up "video game-type numbers on the offensive side of the ball."
LSU’s push has only intensified since then. The school brought Ed Orgeron back on May 20 to help with recruiting, and about a week later Royal, the state 100-meter champion, was in Baton Rouge for his official visit. Wide receivers coach George McDonald also followed Kiffin over from Ole Miss, and Brother Martin is a little more than an hour from campus.
"Momentum has been steadily building around Baton Rouge since Lane Kiffin was hired," Wiltfong said, adding there is a "lot of confidence regarding LSU's position."
Still, the timing around Royal has kept people guessing. Over the weekend, he posted "7/29" and Texas fans immediately braced themselves.
That date is his birthday, and nothing else has been confirmed. Wiltfong said there had been behind-the-scenes buzz that something could happen then, but that talk has since cooled.
"Well, there had been some buzz behind the scenes that there was something that could happen on his birthday," Wiltfong said. "Now, people have kind of backed off that stance."
The speculation has already bounced around for weeks. Fans have read decisions into July 1, July 4 and July 29, but Royal never promised any of those dates. After his Texas official visit in June, he told On Texas Football's Gerry Hamilton, "Possibly, maybe a decision in July but if not, we'll just see how the season goes and just wait until signing day,"
Wiltfong also reported that Royal and his family want to see Kiffin’s offense in action at Tiger Stadium before making any move. That could keep LSU in front while also stretching the timeline.
"There's some talk about Easton Royal and his family telling LSU, 'Hey, we want to see what this looks like on the field in Baton Rouge,'" Wiltfong said.
If the decision drags into the fall, Florida has more room to work. Head coach Jon Sumrall hosted Royal on an official visit in June and has stayed in the mix, but a July call would leave Gainesville with far less time than a later one.
Royal’s value is also part of the story. Multiple sources told FOX 8 in New Orleans that the 2027 receiver would command more than $1 million out of high school.
For his part, Royal has tried to quiet the noise. "This past month, I haven't talked to a single coach or anybody from any school. Me and my mom, we've just been sitting down and weighing out all the pros and cons to make sure that I make the best decision for me," Royal said.
He also addressed the flip chatter directly on July 17 with three words on X: "I didnt flip,"
Texas is still holding the commitment for now, but the Longhorns have already lost out on Monshun Sales, who chose Indiana. Their 2027 class currently ranks eighth nationally. Royal can sign in December, and until he makes a change, Steve Sarkisian’s staff still has the pledge.
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