LSU grabs first commitment for class of 2026 with elite, in-state DL
By Paul Harvey
Published:
LSU has struck its first commitment of the 2026 recruiting class, grabbing a key in-state player to jumpstart the cycle.
The player is Richard Anderson, a highly sought-after defensive lineman from Edna Karr High School in New Orleans. His list of offers included Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas and Texas A&M from the SEC to go with USC and Duke among others.
On Friday, he confirmed a commitment to Brian Kelly’s LSU program. It’s an early commitment for the Tigers but gives LSU a blue chip recruit to build around moving forward.
#AGTG✝️ home @LSUfootball @G_Sportz @On3Recruits @samspiegs pic.twitter.com/TBWlilgnlQ
— Big Rich Anderson (@91seasons_) June 22, 2024
Anderson already has massive size for the defensive line, listed at 6-foot-3 and 340 pounds ahead of his junior season of high school football. According to the 247 Sports Composite, Anderson is a 4-star recruit, the 15th DL in the country and the No. 7 player out of Louisiana for the class of 2026. He’s also rated as the 133rd overall prospect in the country regardless of position.
RELATED: LSU is looking to get back to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019 this fall but must replace some major production on the offensive side of the ball. The Tigers are +1400 in the national championship odds for the season, and fans can track all the line movement and get in on the action with SDS’s Louisiana sportsbook apps.
Impact for LSU
As the very first commitment for the class of 2026, the overall impact for LSU is yet to be determined. However, Anderson is an elite in-state recruit and the kind of player the Tigers always want to keep in Louisiana.
Meanwhile, LSU is in the process of compiling an elite group for the class of 2025 with the nation’s No. 7 recruiting class per the 247 Sports Team Composite. That recruiting class includes a pair of 5-star players and 5-star QB Bryce Underwood, the nation’s top prospect for 2025.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
