Lane Kiffin's first LSU Signing Class features multiple Rivals 5-stars

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin might carry the “Portal King” nickname as a result of his prowess in the NCAA Transfer Portal, but don’t sleep on high school recruiting with Kiffin in Baton Rouge.

LSU is set to sign only 17 high school prospects in the 2026 class, which isn’t a big surprise given the school fired head coach Brian Kelly and replaced the entire staff on offense. At the time of Kelly’s firing in late-October, the Tigers only had 14 verbal commitments.

Kiffin was hired just a few days before December’s Early Signing Period, but he quickly went to work securing the top pieces in LSU’s class, parting ways with others, and flipping Ole Miss commitments into LSU’s signing class.

Two of the biggest wins came when Kiffin and the staff locked in Louisiana 5-star defensive linemen Lamar Brown and Richard Anderson, who both debated waiting until February to sign, but instead spoke with Kiffin and the staff and chose to sign during the Early Signing Period in December.

Quietly, Kiffin also added a future 5-star in December when he flipped Ole Miss 4-star wide receiver commitment Corey Barber into LSU’s class less than 72 hours from pen hitting paper on signing day.

This week, Rivals bumped Barber to not only the No. 3 wide receiver prospect in America, but one of the newly-minted 5-star prospects in the final rankings for the 2026 cycle.

Brown remains ranked as the No. 1 athlete on the Rivals rankings, while Anderson checks in as a Top 20 overall prospect and Top 3 defensive lineman in the country.

Here’s more from the Rivals rankings team on LSU’s trio of 5-star signees.

28) WR Corey Barber – LSU Signee

School: Clay-Chalkville (Pinson, AL)
Scout’s Take: “Barber is a prospect that’s been on a steady rise, dating back to the start of his senior season. He’s a receiver who can impact the game in several ways, he’s very versatile and reminds me a good bit of Makai Lemon, with his ability to pick up yards after the catch while also being able to win at the catch point. At around 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, he’s a good athlete but also a hyper-competitive player who really finds ways to impact and make big plays in key moments. Physical, aggressive, competitive and can get open at all levels. We project Barber to be a big-time weapon in Lane Kiffin’s offense. When we were taking stock of this receiver group, it felt like he was worthy of a big rise and ultimately landing as a five-star.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

18) DL Richard Anderson – LSU Signee

School: Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
Scouting Summary: “Explosive interior defensive lineman with immense power and ability to two-gap in the middle of the defensive front. Verified size at 6-foot-3.5, 355 pounds with over 33-inch arms and carries the weight very well. Great burst off the line of scrimmage for his size. Plays with excellent pad level and vision into the backfield. Understands leverage and sheds blocks with ease. Totaled 15 tackles-for-loss as a junior along with 10 sacks. Will need to to maintain quality combination of size and movement skills as he continues to physically develop. Older for the cycle. Projects as a space-eating, two-gap nose tackle at the next level but has the athletic ability to one-gap if needed.” — Cody Bellaire, Rivals National Scout

10) DL Lamar Brown – LSU Signee

School: Erwinville (La.) University Lab
Scout’s Take: “The rare prospect with five-star ability on either line of scrimmage. A true jumbo athlete. 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. He 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. Entered his senior season more proven as an offensive lineman than defense on Friday nights. Would be the top interior offensive line prospect in the 2026 cycle if he wanted. Should be considered a high-upside, developmental defensive line prospect who will need to make strides in his overall technique as he gains more experience on that side of the ball.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

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