Fireworks indeed
While the rest of America was popping fireworks, drinking cold brews, and watching Joey Chestnut win his 17th Mustard Yella Belt, the Fightin’ Tigers of LSU were busy setting off some recruiting fireworks.
LSU’s 2026 recruiting class grew by two on Friday, adding four-star offensive tackle Bryson Cooley and three-star athlete Isaiah Washington.
Let’s start with Cooley because 1) he committed first, 2) he’s more highly touted, and 3) he’s the most surprising of the two. Hailing from Laurel, Mississippi, Cooley is a consensus four-star prospect and picked LSU over Alabama, Georgia, and both Mississippi schools. He’s the No. 2 offensive tackle in Mississippi and, fittingly enough, both are committed to LSU. Brad Davis has made a name for himself as an ace recruiter, and he’s gone into enemy territory to pluck out Cooley and Emanuel Tucker.
Between Cooley, Tucker, Brysten Martinez and Jalan Chapman, LSU has four offensive linemen committed. The staff is going to have to keep the offensive line room full because incoming transfer Josh Thompson is in his final year of eligibility and Braelin Moore is a fourth-year junior; and while I wouldn’t expect someone like Tyree Adams to leave, he is draft-eligible at season’s end so you have to prepare for that possibility that he goes pro. Stacking elite offensive line class on top of offensive line class is how you stay among college football’s elite.
LSU’s other commitment, Isaiah Washington is flying a little more under the radar, but he’s got the build to be one of those prospects that pops after a year or two of seasoning. A three-star athlete out of Haynesville, Washington is being recruited as a safety by Jake Olsen. Washington plays both ways for Haynesville: he’s QB1 on offense and lines up at safety on defense. Listed at 6’3” and 175 pounds, Washington might even make his way over to cornerback since he’s got the build that Corey Raymond looks for in his corners.
LSU’s recruiting class slipped down to seventh in the On3 rankings, but the Tigers have by far and away the least amount of commits when compared to the six teams ahead of them. If you look at the average recruit ranking, however, LSU’s No. 1 in America so again: quality, not quantity.