The LSU Tigers are quickly becoming a serious threat to flip a top recruit from an SEC foe following a successful OV weekend
Lane Kiffin and LSU are trending quickly to flip a talented recruit from an SEC foe. What is the latest for the Tigers’ recruiting efforts?
Head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU are riding some recruitment momentum from this past weekend, including a couple of commitments from 2027 defensive end KJ Green and running back Brennan Lacey. Fresh off a massive official visitor weekend, the program is hoping there is a lot more good news on the horizon.
One of the more interesting official visitors who was in Baton Rouge included Manvel (Texas) High School star Karnell “Greedy” James. A versatile cover man who can play cornerback, safety, or nickel on the college level, James is still committed to the Texas Longhorns. Despite that, several big-time programs have continued to recruit James hard, including LSU and Notre Dame.
According to Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman, James’ official visit went extremely well, and they have positioned themselves to potentially make the flip happen. He and his family have ties to the state of Louisiana, and that’s actually where James originally lived growing up. Those roots are playing into the favor for Kiffin and Co.
James is set to visit Notre Dame this weekend, which is a huge remaining hurdle for LSU. Depending on how that official visit goes, it could determine how likely a flip could be in the end. The Tigers will be a factor until the very end, but the next week or so will give a lot more insight into their overall chances.
Karnell “Greedy” James’ recruiting background
From a recruiting rankings perspective, James isn’t going to blow anyone away. He is currently considered to be a three-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms, the exception being 247 Sports, which has him rated as the No. 26 safety in the class.
On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, James is currently pegged as the No. 477 overall player, the No. 47 safety, and the No. 64 player from the state of Texas for the 2027 recruiting class. When you consider his offer list and overall talent, the ranking for James does leave some pretty puzzled, even if his rankings have been trending upward.
James has seen his offer list continue to expand, even after being committed to the Longhorns on December 3 of last year. Some of his top offers include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, LSU, Florida, Texas A&M, Florida State, Texas Tech, Utah, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, TCU, Arizona State, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Houston, Baylor, Cal, SMU, Wisconsin, Oregon State, and Washington State, among others.
As a junior, James put together a tremendous season for Manvel. In 12 games, the 6-0, 175-pound cover man managed to collect 53 total tackles, two interceptions, and six pass breakups. James also recovered a fumble while returning two punts for touchdowns. This is a fast and fluid athlete who possesses a ton of upside.