LSU 4-star WR commit Kenny Darby to take Alabama official visit

Bossier City (La.) Airline four-star wide receiver Kenny Darby committed to LSU on Nov. 12, but other programs remain in pursuit of the 6-foot, 175-pounder.

That includes Alabama, and Darby will take an official visit to Tuscaloosa this weekend, according to On3’s Steve Wiltfong. Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman was the first to report the visit.

Back in January, the Bama staff extended an offer to Darby. Not long after, the blue-chipper announced that his recruitment was shut down. He remains pledged to the in-state SEC program, but is now set to give Kalen DeBoer and the Tide a look this weekend.

Darby is the No. 148 overall prospect and No. 21 WR in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 7 player in Louisiana.

As a junior for Airline, Darby hauled in 100 receptions, totaling 1,764 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Vikings won 12 games and finished as the No. 14 team in Louisiana in 2024, per the On3 Composite Rankings.

Darby one of three coveted WRs committed to LSU

The pass-catcher was just back in Baton Rouge visiting LSU alongside the two other top receiver commits in Brian Kelly’s 2026 class. Darby, Hattiesburg (Miss.) five-star Tristen Keys and New Orleans Destrehan four-star Jabari Mack were all on campus.

Darby was originally committed to Mississippi State, but pledged to LSU in November amidst his breakout junior campaign that helped him land the big-time offer he was searching for.

“I want to be a part of that and they put wide receivers in the draft every year,” Darby told On3’s Chad Simmons about his commitment. “They develop receivers and they are WRU. I feel like I can have a lot of success at LSU and I feel like I fit the mode of an LSU wide receiver.”

He is one of nine commits in a class that ranks No. 1 nationally, per the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Darby is one of five blue-chip in-state commits for the Tigers to date.

Alabama looking to build on Top-10 class

While Bama has just five commits in its No. 8 class thus far, it has won some high-profile recruiting battles and is in position for many of its top targets that will be on campus for official visits this summer.

Marietta (Ga.) Sprayberry five-star cornerback Jorden Edmonds committed at the end of March and his stock has since risen. He’s now the No. 22 overall prospect and No. 2 CB in the nation.

“It came down to relationships, development and how I grew up following the program that helped me choose Alabama,” Edmonds told On3. “I am from Pittsburgh, but my brother was an Alabama fan, and when I moved down to Atlanta in the 7th grade, I started to follow Alabama.”

Edmonds and Gadsden (Ala.) City four-star Zyan Gibson form a formidable cornerback duo. Gibson, who pledged on Christmas Eve, is the No. 72 recruit and No. 11 CB overall.

February brought a pair of commitments from Gainesville (Ga.) four-star EDGE Jamarion Matthews and Atlanta Hapeville Charter four-star interior offensive lineman Chris Booker. Matthews is the No. 10 EDGE in the On300. Muscle Shoals (Ala.) four-star defensive lineman Kamhariyan Johnson rounds out the class.