LSU has landed a verbal commitment from one of the state’s top 2026 prospects.

On Saturday, New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr safety Aiden Hall announced his commitment to the Tigers. A blue-chipper and one of the best defensive backs in the class, the rising junior already had an offer list brimming with top schools. From the SEC, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Texas had all already extended offers. But home cooking was too good to pass in the end.

“I’m staying home,” he wrote in a post on Instagram.

Hall is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound safety prospect who can fill a number of different roles depending on scheme. He has seen reps at nickel, or he could potentially even play corner with some development. He helped Edna Karr to a 10-2 record and the Louisiana Division I Select state semifinals as a sophomore last fall.

In the industry-generated 247 Composite, Hall is a 4-star recruit and ranked No. 53 overall. He’s the sixth-ranked safety and the fifth-ranked prospect from the state of Louisiana.

As the Tigers build their 2026 class, coach Brian Kelly is completely locking down the state. Each of the 4 known commits are New Orleans products, with Hall joining Edna Karr teammate Richard Anderson, McDonough 35 safety Jakai Anderson, and Warren Easton lineman Jalan Chapman.

It’s a good start to the class, but it can get exponentially better. The 2026 cycle is stacked with elite Louisiana prospects. New Orleans (La.) St. Augustine defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart is the No. 3 overall recruit in the class. Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab offensive lineman Lamar Brown is the No. 5 recruit. Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic safety Blaine Bradford makes it 3 Composite 5-stars in the state.

Whether or not all 3 players close as 5-star recruits remains to be seen, but if they do, it’ll mark the first time since 2014 that the state has produced at least 3 Composite 5-star recruits.

With so much incoming talent on the defensive side of the football, getting Blake Baker into the program ahead of the 2024 season could do wonders for Kelly and his in-state efforts. LSU just put 3 offensive players into the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but it has only seen 1 defensive player drafted in the opening round of the last 4 drafts. Two linebackers were first-round picks off the 2019 national championship-winning team. Baker just helped turn Missouri’s Darius Robinson — a 3-star recruit — into a first-round defensive lineman.

Related: Make money on the Tigers this season with one of several sports betting apps in Louisiana. First-time users get a bonus when they sign up.

His influence on the defense will be something to monitor. According to Geaux247’s Glen West, some on the LSU defensive staff see Hall as the best safety in the country.

You can see his highlight tape below, via Hudl: