If you paid any attention to the social media beef between LSU and Ole Miss fans throughout the Lane Kiffin saga, you probably saw a few Ole Miss fans claim that Kiffin didn’t like, didn’t prioritize, or wasn’t good at high school recruiting.
Kiffin earned the reputation of portal king at Ole Miss, and for good reason. Kiffin built elite rosters through the transfer portal, and he signed the No. 1-ranked transfer class after taking over LSU’s program.
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But just because Kiffin and Co. know how to use the portal doesn’t mean this staff doesn’t know how to recruit at the high school level.
Let’s go back to Kiffin’s first week on the LSU job. Kiffin began work just a few days before signing day — there wasn’t much time to keep LSU’s recruiting class together. There were questions about whether five-star defensive linemen Richard Anderson and Lamar Brown would sign with the Tigers or wait until February. Kiffin and staff sealed the deal, inking both players in the Early Signing Period.
That was Kiffin’s first big recruiting test as LSU’s head coach and he passed without much drama.
The clock turned to the Class of 2027. LSU’s 2027 crop only has four commits, but the Tigers’ class ranks No. 10 nationally and the staff is gaining momentum with a handful of top prospects.
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This month, LSU secured commitments from Braylon Calais and Ah’Mari Stevens. Both four-stars and top-300 overall prospects.
LSU is working hard to flip five-star wide receiver Easton Royal from Texas. Royal is visiting LSU this weekend.
Royal isn’t the only five-star prospect on LSU’s radar. The Tigers are doing well with guard Albert Simien and linebacker Kaden Henderson.
Will LSU land of these top targets? Probably not. But all signs point to LSU signing a top-five class in Kiffin’s first full cycle. That seems to discount the narrative from Ole Miss fans of Kiffin only focusing on the transfer portal, spiting high school recruits.
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Kiffin made it clear when he took the LSU job that this was a place where coaches can recruit a bunch of elite high-school talent. Ole Miss doesn’t necessarily have the recruiting history. Expect LSU to remain a force in the high school recruiting scene with Kiffin leading the way.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Lane Kiffin proves Ole Miss fans wrong as LSU recruiting heats up
