Relationships still matter in recruiting.
NIL opportunities, development plans, playing time, and a clear path to the NFL are all critical pieces for elite prospects, but more often than not, decisions still begin with trust. That foundation is exactly what led to a major early commitment for Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers.
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Jaiden Bryant, the No. 11 prospect in the 2027 Rivals300, has committed to LSU, despite never having stepped foot on campus in Baton Rouge. The driving force behind that decision is his long-standing relationship with new defensive line coach Sterling Lucas.
Kiffin hired Lucas away from South Carolina, a move that immediately caught Bryant’s attention. The two have known each other for nearly two years, dating back to Lucas’ time recruiting Bryant while at South Carolina, just minutes from Bryant’s high school, Irmo.
“Coach Lucas is a coach I trust and believe in,” Bryant told Rivals. “South Carolina wasn’t one of my first offers, but he was recruiting me before that. He started recruiting me early, and he’s like family. He’s easy to talk to, we have a nice relationship, and he’s always been a coach I knew I would love to play for.”
The coaching move from Columbia to Baton Rouge came as a surprise, but it quickly accelerated Bryant’s timeline.
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“I woke up one morning and found out he was going to LSU. LSU has always been one of my top schools. We’ve been trying to get there for a couple of months, and we’ll be there in January for sure. It is a school I have watched and know about, so I will see it soon.”
Beyond the relationship with Lucas, LSU checked every box Bryant was looking for in a program.
“LSU has a storied history,” he said. “They’ve always developed players, and it’s a good school with a lot of success. My plan has always been to graduate early, so I wanted to make an early commitment. With Coach Lucas there and it being a top school, it’s a good fit for me.”
Bryant’s pledge gives Kiffin his first commitment in the 2027 class as LSU’s head coach. The Tigers will get Bryant on campus later this month, where he is expected to spend time with Kiffin and the rest of the staff.
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While LSU sits firmly in the driver’s seat, Bryant is not ready to completely shut his recruitment down. He plans to take official visits, with Miami, South Carolina, and Texas A&M among the programs still very much in the picture.
