Elite DB Javien Toviano commits to LSU: 'LSU was unwavering'
The mystery is over.
Elite Arlington (Texas) Martin DB Javien Toviano celebrated his final day of high school by committing to LSU over Texas, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas A&M.
Toviano, who has frequented Baton Rouge since Brian Kelly relocated to Baton Rouge, called the Tigers “a dark horse” at one point in his recruitment. However, their approach with the On3 Consensus‘ No. 55 overall player was perfect.
“Their approach was out of the blue,” Toviano told On3.
“They worked the hardest getting me on campus. There were a lot of places I planned on getting to that didn’t work out, but somehow, it was LSU always getting me on those visits.”
“Persistence was the key to recruiting me,” Toviano added. “All of the schools did a good job of being persistent, but LSU was unwavering.”
LSU came ‘out of the blue’
Toviano’s recruitment took off midway through his sophomore season at Martin where he not only shined in the secondary, but in critical situations on the offensive side of the ball. A flurry of offers arrived for Toviano, including the in-state heavyweights and national programs around the country.
The Tigers didn’t make their move until last offseason when Kelly and the new staff arrived in Baton Rouge.
“I remember picking up my LSU offer from Coach Sherman Wilson, and at the time I remember thinking about if I wanted an LSU offer because I didn’t know much about LSU. I knew they fired Coach O and were coming off a natty,” Toviano recalled.
The LSU staff worked to introduce Toviano to Baton Rouge quickly. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound hybrid DB was on campus in the spring and the last weekend of July. He took his official visit for the Southern game in early September then returned for the Alabama game last month.
“They were on it,” Toviano said. “They worked the hardest to get me on campus.”
LSU draws a parallel to Arlington Martin
In September, Toviano told On3 that he made a college decision with his family ahead of his senior season.
Since then, Toviano made visits back to LSU, Baylor, Texas and Texas A&M. He kept his recruitment open despite being privately aligned with the Tigers. That’s given him more clarity to sign confidently.
“When I talk about the similarities in the programs, being unwavering regardless of where you’re at, what you’re doing, to make the guy you’re recruiting feel like a priority, LSU has done a good job of that,” Toviano said. “It was a toss-up for a while, a fun ride through all the ups and downs.”
“I drained the process and got everything I wanted out of it,” he added.”
In the end, Toviano elected to go out of state to follow a different sort of tradition.
“I didn’t see LSU until late, but what they’re doing with Harold Perkins and the freshmen playing early has been great,” he started.
“There’s only a few places you’d leave home for, especially if you’re a defensive back like myself. LSU is one of those places when I think of DBU, playing on Sundays and achieving your goals like winning the Jim Thorpe Award. Putting your stamp on something great like those that came before you, that’s a great opportunity for sure.”
Toviano is the No. 4 safety in the country, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.