Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers are working to steal a high upside SEC decommit away from a host of top programs
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin has an eye for offensive talent. A recent Georgia decommit is clearly on his recruiting radar.
Under head coach Lane Kiffin, the LSU Tigers are already recruiting at a very high level. It appears that the Tigers staff has their eyes set on 2027 Pearland (Texas) Shadow Creek wide receiver Aden Starling, who decommitted from the Georgia Bulldogs on Thursday. The Texas native committed to Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs back in December, but he is now open for business.
As Rivals recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman reported, this was a move that didn’t take anyone by surprise. Starling has been taking visits, including to LSU and Arkansas, which are now viewed as the top two contenders right now. Ole Miss and Kentucky were also mentioned as teams of interest for the talented pass catcher.
Starling does bring an odd profile to the table, seeing a lot more interest this offseason. His upside has been mentioned heavily, and clearly, LSU is buying into those raw tools. Kiffin has a strong resume in terms of identifying undervalued wide receiver talent. If he sees the vision with Starling, you have to trust his vision.
Aden Starling’s recruiting background
Despite high interest from some impressive programs, Starling is considered to be just a three-star player on each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, he currently sits ranked as the No. 814 overall player, the No. 101 wide receiver, and the No. 106 player from the state of Texas for the 2027 recruiting class. Rivals is highest on Starling, rating him as the No. 71 wide receiver in the class.
Several top programs have continued to pursue Starling, even after he committed to Georgia back in early December. Some of his top offers include the Bulldogs, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, South Carolina, Arizona State, Baylor, Maryland, Houston, Wisconsin, Wake Forest, and Purdue, among several others.
As a junior in 2025, Starling put together a good overall season for Shadow Creek. In 11 games, the 6-0, 175-pound pass catcher managed to haul in 31 receptions for 405 yards and seven touchdowns, an average of 13.1 yards per reception. While Starling’s production wasn’t overly impressive, he has had a strong offseason, and a ton of teams have been taking notice.