Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers should be all in on a dynamic defender that they should have never let leave Louisiana

The LSU Tigers have continued to try and up their recruiting game under head coach Brian Kelly. They are a program that is in a hotbed of Southeastern talent, and the state of Louisiana does a very nice job of producing next level defenders itself. The Tigers need to keep that talent in the state […]

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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The LSU Tigers have continued to try and up their recruiting game under head coach Brian Kelly. They are a program that is in a hotbed of Southeastern talent, and the state of Louisiana does a very nice job of producing next level defenders itself. The Tigers need to keep that talent in the state as much as possible. 

One of the better players from the state of Louisiana in the 2026 recruiting class is Baton Rouge (La.) Central linebacker JaMichael Garrett. The talented defender committed to Auburn last July, a massive win at the time for the Tigers. Garrett went back on the market this week, opting to reopen his recruitment and decommitting. 

LSU now gets another shot potentially at Garrett, if they choose to take it. They currently don't hold a single linebacker commitment in the class, so it would be smart to give Garrett another look. 

Garrett is considered to be a consensus four-star player by every major recruiting platform. On the 247Sports Composite ranking, he currently sits as the No. 222 overall player, No. 14 linebacker, and No. 9 player in the state of Louisiana for the 2026 recruiting class. Their individual ranking has him rated a little higher than the composite, pegged as the No. 158 overall player and No. 8 linebacker nationally. 

There has been a long list of impressive programs that have continued to pursue Garrett. Some of his top offers include the Tigers, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Miami, Penn State, USC, Auburn, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Missouri, Colorado, NC State, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Mississippi State, Baylor, UCF, and Houston among others. 

So far during his Central career, Garrett has been an extremely productive defender. He has managed to collect 178 total tackles, 11 sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. The 6-2, 205-pound linebacker is a versatile player who can do a little bit of everything on the next level from a pure athleticism perspective. 

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