Lamar Brown, USA's top football recruit for the class of 2026, has committed to Brian Kelly's LSU Tigers, drawing reactions from fans on the internet. He announced his pledge live on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Thursday, picking LSU over Texas A&M, Texas, and Miami.
Brown is a 6-foot-5, 285-pound defensive tackle. He is ranked the No. 1 player in Louisiana and the country by ESPN. He is also ranked the No. 1 athlete in the nation by Rivals.
The decision did not come without a fight from other programs vying for his services. Texas A&M made a strong push to get him, hosting him eight times since June 1, 2024. He had built good relationships with their coaches as well, with sources saying he was deciding between the Tigers and Aggies until the night before his announcement.

Once the news dropped, fans made a few jokes at Texas A&M’s expense on X.
“When Brian Kelly is fired, you can still flip Lamar,” a fan wrote.
“Baaaaaaaannnnnnggggggggg,” one commented.
Similar comments continued.
“Damn. Aggies in shambles?” a fan said.
“Texas 8&5 really thought he was going to College Station? 🤣🤣🤣🤣,” another said.
“for now,” one commented.
Lamar Brown is LSU’s first No. 1 recruit since Leonard Fournette in 2014. He is the 15th player to commit to the program’s 2026 recruiting class, and the third five-star recruit in the class, joining Tristen Keys and Richard Anderson.
Why did Lamar Brown choose LSU?
When the time came to make his college decision, Lamar Brown chose to stay close to home. Brown plays for University Lab School in Baton Rouge, which is located on LSU’s campus.
Brown said the opportunity to represent his home state was too good to pass up.
“Coming from the 225, to play in Baton Rouge, in the state of Louisiana, on a Saturday night in Death Valley with the city on my back, to have the chance to play there and win a national championship there would be great,” Brown told Rivals National Recruiting Expert, Sam Spiegelman (via On3.com).
“Being a kid from the area, not everyone has the opportunity to stay home and play for the home team. To have the chance to play for the home team, to be able to shine on Saturdays, it’s a dream and it means a lot for any Louisiana kid," he added.
Lamar Brown played both offense and defense at his high school. He was being recruited for both roles, but decided to play defense in the spring. In the last three seasons, he made 91 tackles and had eight sacks.