LSU Tigers miss out on four-star safety in 2027 recruiting class, but it may be because of a move they made days ago
The LSU Tigers missed out on a four-star safety, Davion Jones, in the 2027 recruiting class.
The LSU Tigers missed on four-star safety Davion Jones, who committed to South Carolina over LSU, Georgia, Auburn, Indiana, and Clemson.
Jones, a top-140 recruit and the No. 9 safety in the country per the Rivals Industry composite, chose the Gamecocks after taking four visits to Columbia. The 91.91 composite rating and No. 6 ranking in North Carolina made Jones a priority target for several SEC programs, but geography played a significant role in the outcome.
“I prayed on it and this was the best fit for me,” Jones said in his commitment post.
South Carolina’s proximity advantage proved decisive
Jones took four visits to South Carolina and four to Clemson, compared to just one visit to LSU. The proximity of Columbia to his home state of North Carolina gave the Gamecocks a built-in edge that programs like LSU simply couldn’t overcome with a single visit. Auburn managed two visits but couldn’t close the gap either.
When a recruit visits a school four times before committing, that tells you the relationship between the staff and the player has been cultivated over a long period. LSU getting only one visit suggests the Tigers were never truly in the driver’s seat for Jones.
This isn’t a devastating loss for LSU’s 2027 class
The Tigers already addressed the safety position by flipping Greedy James from Texas, giving them one of the better safeties in the 2027 class. Losing Jones stings on paper, but it doesn’t leave a gaping hole on the board.
LSU’s class still ranks 11th nationally and fifth in the SEC. The Tigers have 15 total commits, including one five-star and 10 four-stars. That kind of foundation gives the coaching staff room to absorb a loss like this without scrambling.
The Tigers are still improving their class, and the recruiting cycle has plenty of runway left. Losing a battle for a top-140 player is never ideal, but LSU’s positioning at safety and across the board keeps this from becoming a storyline that lingers.