BREAKING: LSU signs 5-star Lamar Brown - the No. 1 recruit in America

LSU and new head coach Lane Kiffin made a massive splash on Friday when the Tigers signed 5-star Lamar Brown – the No. 1 overall recruit on the Rivals Industry Rankings for the 2026 class.

Brown revealed his decision to sign with LSU on Friday ahead of U-High’s playoff game, which put an end to speculation as to whether or not Brown would sign this week or wait until February’s National Signing Day.

Brown was the first LSU commitment to meet in-person with Kiffin upon his arrival to campus on Sunday, and following the conversations the 5-star had with LSU’s new coach, he told Rivals the plans remained the same.

He was sticking with LSU.

Then came a shift in plans. Brown, and 5-star defensive lineman Richard Anderson, both told Rivals they would not sign this week, instead choosing to wait until February in hopes of getting a better feel for the coaching staff Kiffin is assembling in Baton Rouge.

Since arriving in Baton Rouge on Sunday night before the Early Signing Period, Lane Kiffin, Billy Glasscock and the new faces in Baton Rouge have been working to get this recruitment past the finish line.

On Day 2 of the Early Signing Period, things are trending in that direction.

Brown’s agent met with members of the LSU staff on Tuesday and Wednesday, including Kiffin and Glasscock. That dialogue has continued into Thursday as more blue-chip pieces of the Tigers’ 2026 class put pen to paper.

Multiple sources informed on Brown’s recruitment tell Rivals that the Five-Star Plus+ ATH is expected to sign with the Tigers before the end of the week.

“They want to see how the new staff is being built out,” Brown’s – and Anderson’s – representation told Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman. “They had relationships with the old staff, with Blake and Frank. They want to get a chance to build a relationship with the new staff.

“They’re staying committed to them, and they want to see how committed they are. They’re staying committed, but we don’t know what the future holds.”

As of noon on Friday, Baker’s future as LSU’s defensive coordinator hangs in the balance.

Tulane is reportedly set to offer Baker, who played college football for the Green Wave, the head coaching job following Jon Sumrall’s move to Florida to replace Billy Napier as head coach of the Gators.

Meanwhile, with current LSU defensive line coach Kyle Williams expected to step away from the program to enjoy retirement with his family in Louisiana, news broke of a major name being target by Kiffin.

On Friday, the day Brown is set to announce, Syracuse defensive line coach and former SEC assistant coach Elijah Robinson is on campus in Baton Rouge, sources tell The Bengal Tiger and On3.

There has been no statement from LSU on the future for Williams or a hire of Robinson, but it appears it’s trending that way.

Even with uncertainty around the future of Kiffin’s defensive staff, the 5-star out of Baton Rouge said he felt comfortable with the direction things were trending after conversations with Kiffin, his primary recruiter Frank Wilkson, and other members of the staff.

“The people here have shown love to me ever since I committed,” Brown told Rivals. “It’s great to know that I’ll have a coach who’s ready to compete for a national championship and wants to bring one back to Baton Rouge … It’s all God’s plan, and I would love to have a chance to wear that No. 7 or 18 before I go to the NFL. Lastly, I want to be that Tiger that’s remembered forever!”

As for the hire of Kiffin, the No. 1 overall prospect in America said his confidence is high in the direction the program is headed in Baton Rouge.

“It’s great to know that I’ll have a coach who’s ready to compete for a national championship and wants to bring one back to Baton Rouge,” Brown said. “From talking to others who know him more than I do, it seems like (Kiffin) is one of the greatest coaches to be around!”