Top LSU recruiting target predicted to land with SEC rival in spite of best efforts from HC Brian Kelly and the Tigers staff
LSU predicted to miss out on priority recruit
It seems like head coach Brian Kelly and the LSU program have been prioritizing 2026 Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher’s School five-star offensive lineman Darius Gray forever. After some early buzz around the South Carolina Gamecocks, LSU was viewed as the leader for a considerable amount of time. It looks like that lead has dwindled, and has been completely erased going down the stretch.
Gray is set to commit on August 22nd, and this has been viewed as an LSU vs South Carolina battle. According to the latest feedback, it appears that the Gamecocks may have won out. Rivals vice president of recruiting Steve Wiltfong logged an expert prediction in favor of South Carolina to land the talented offensive lineman on Friday.
The Virginia star is currently rated as a five-star player on various rankings, which includes the 247Sports Composite ranking. They have Gray rated right now as the No. 30 overall player, No. 2 interior offensive lineman, and No. 2 player in the state of Virginia for the 2026 recruiting class.
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise due to his talent level, but Gray holds over 40 total scholarship offers. Some of the top programs that have pursued him include the Tigers, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Ole Miss, Penn State, Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Florida State, Clemson, South Carolina, and Auburn among many, many others.
While Gray plays the left tackle position on the high school level, he projects very well inside to guard or even center. The 6-3, 290-pounder has the upside to be a dominant presence on the interior. Gray is an impressive overall football player with some massive upside long term.
LSU is set to roll out a brand new look offensive line in 2025, which could include five new starters up front. Continuing to replenish the talent in that offensive line room is a must. Losing out on Gray is a very difficult one, and keeping a close eye on how this somewhat shifts the offensive line board will be important.
For South Carolina, this is a tremendous victory over another SEC foe. The offensive line has been one of the continued points of emphasis under head coach Shane Beamer. Building the trenches up front will only maximize the very underrated skill position talent.
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