LSU suffers decommitment from 2026 4-star edge rusher, first after firing of Brian Kelly
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
LSU didn’t suffer a wave of decommitments after Brian Kelly was fired after a loss to Texas A&M on Oct. 26.
On Sunday, though, the Tigers saw a member of their 2026 class, a defensive lineman, reopen his recruitment one day after a loss to Alabama.
DeAnthony Lafayette, an Orlando, Fla. product, decommitted from the Tigers, according to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett. According to 247Sports’ Composite Ranking, Lafayette is a 4-star recruit and ranked No. 36 among all edge rushers nationally.
Lafayette’s offer sheet currently includes 28 teams, including Miami and Oklahoma. Both schools, along with LSU, received official visits from him during the summer.
He ultimately opted to pledge to Brian Kelly and the Tigers, announcing his commitment on July 10. Less than 4 months later, though, Kelly was fired, leading Lafayette to change his mind.
Prior to Lafayette’s decommitment, LSU had the No. 12 class in the country, according to 247Sports. He was also one of 5 defensive linemen who were pledged to the program.
LSU’s class had remained intact before the news from Lafayette on Sunday. We’ll see if it triggers a wave of similar decisions in the coming weeks, especially with the Early Signing Period less than one month away.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
