BREAKING: 4-star OL Coen Echols commits to LSU
The LSU football staff has landed a final commitment during the Early Signing Period with Friday’s addition of Texas four-star offensive lineman Coen Echols.
The 2024 Katy (Tex.) product was once committed to Texas A&M, but following coaching changes in College Station, the in-state standout backed off his pledge to the Aggies.
Now, he’s signed with the Tigers and will join the 2024 roster in Baton Rouge.
It was another banner year of recruiting for offensive line coach Brad Davis and his group of analysts given the Tigers signed six high school offensive linemen this cycle.
LSU, whose 2023 unit was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best offensive line, signed offensive tackles Weston Davis, Ethan Calloway and Ory Williams while also inking a trio of interior offensive linemen in Khayree Lee, Joseph Cryer and Echols.
The final visit won the race for Echols
LSU hosted Echols on the final weekend before the Early Signing Period, and while it appeared the four-star was trending to Auburn, Davis and Co. shook up the race in the 11th hour by surging into the top spot in the push for his signature.
“It was great. I got there around the right time of the year since it wasn’t very humid and hot. I really enjoyed my time there,” Echols told On3. “Speaking with Will Campbell and DJ Chester and all the players there. They spoke very highly of coach Davis. I can tell that he’s a very genuine and honest man. I love him myself. He’s definitely a family guy. The visit was great. Speaking with Brian Kelly and all of them. They showed me and my family a lot of love and I learned a lot throughout the visit, like I was already there.
“LSU’s great. I feel like they’re definitely going to be a National Championship caliber team very soon. I can feel it.”
Davis spent much of his time with the four-star prospect, and among the pitches made was an opportunity to get on the field in the early stages of his college career.
“He said that I have a chance to start early. He could develop me into the player that I can be as long as I put the work in. That was basically his entire message,” Echols said. “I love Coach Davis and he loves us. He’s a very funny guy. He can be funny and he can be serious. He’s also a great teacher and a great listener. If you get to meet him, get a good understanding, that’s what I’m talking about.”
Echols also spent an extended amount of time with head coach Brian Kelly and analyst Patrick Kelly, who both made a big impression.
“Coach Kelly, he was great. I can tell my parents really loved him. I love him myself,” Echols said. “He’s a little guy, but he’s got a lot of heart. He definitely loves the game of football. I can tell the players love him as well. A lot of the players told me they look up to him as a father figure. Some of the players don’t have a father figure in their lives, and he takes over that role.”
Even LSU’s commitments pitched in to recruit Echols across the past week.
“They were telling me this is home,” Echols said. “The usual, they were giving me a lot of love as well, you know, telling me all the goods about coming to LSU and what they could do for me.”
LSU puts together a Top 10 class
With a commitment from Echols, LSU has jumped Notre Dame to move into the No. 9 spot on the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings for the 2024 cycle.
LSU now has 28 players signed during the Early Signing Period, a group made up of 27 high school prospects and one junior college product.
Echols, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound interior offensive lineman, is the No. 198 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Echols also ranks as the nation’s No. 12 interior offensive lineman and No. 34 prospect in Texas.
