5-Star ATH Lamar Brown talks LSU, rise to No. 1 overall ranking

Bryce Koon talks with 5-Star and Rivals’ top-ranked player Lamar Brown. The LSU commit talks about his tough loss, plus his new ranking.

Are you… Ready to leave the corporate Rat Race for the American Dream? Looking for a side hustle while working your current job? Wanting to diversify, build wealth, and/or leave a legacy? Andy Luedecke can help!!! Andy is a franchise consultant (as well as franchise owner) and helps people find franchises that fit their skill sets, financial requirements, time to commit and more… His services are 100% free and he’s here to help if you have any questions about business ownership. Contact Andy! [email protected] or 404-973-9901

Earning the Top Spot

The most notable shuffle: Brown not only staying put as the No. 1 ranked athlete in America, but moving into the top spot on the list for No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 class, regardless of position.

All 32 5-star prospects in the rankings are committed, but it’s LSU that holds a commitment from the highest-ranked recruit.

Brown, who could go wire-to-wire as the No. 1 athlete on Rivals, is set to play defensive line for the Tigers after committing to LSU in July. Brown picked the Tigers over a double-digit offer list that saw the University High standout come down to a final group that also included programs like Texas A&M, Texas, and Miami.

“The rare prospect with five-star ability on either line of scrimmage. A true jumbo athlete,” Rivals National Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power said in his evaluation of Brown. “Measured in at around 6-foot-4, 285 pounds before his senior season. Has a plus length with arms around 34 inches. A mega athlete in the camp setting, posting some of the best testing numbers on the national camp circuit for a lineman. Lines up at right tackle and defensive end for his high school.

“Elite athleticism and movement skills show up on both sides of the ball. Fires off the snap from his right tackle position. Flashes outstanding twitch in pass protection and working to the second level. Can take defensive linemen for a ride once engaged. Shows disruptive ability as a big defensive end. Has the power to hold his ground and sift through the trash to make plays in the backfield. Can close quickly on the quarterback.

“Touts a strong background as a thrower in track and field, winning an indoor state title in the shot put (56-2.75 feet) and an outdoor gold medal in the discus (151-6 feet) as a junior.”

With 16 total commitments for the 2026 class, LSU has 14 commits ranked in the new Rivals 300.

As for the impressive haul in the trenches, the Tigers not only have a Top 10 EDGE rusher committed in Trenton Henderson, but also have a pair of Top 10 defensive linemen on board – not including Brown, who is ranked as an athlete, but would also be ranked as the No. 1 defensive linemen in the class.

Fellow 5-star and LSU commit Richard Anderson checks in as the No. 2 defensive lineman on the Rivals Industry Rankings, while LSU commit and Top 100 prospect Deuce Geralds is also ranked among the Top 10 defensive linemen in the updated rankings.

Note: The Rivals Industry Ranking is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all three primary recruiting media services. This system is the industry’s most advanced, complete, and unbiased measurement. It equally weights the primary recruiting media services. For football, the algorithm is weighted as follows: Rivals (33%), 247Sports (33%), and ESPN (33%).