LSU Football: Could stud defensive end be the next 5-star to commit to Tigers?

LSU football currently has three five-star recruits committed to its 2022 recruiting class.

And there could be another one on the way.

The Tigers currently are viewed as the favorites — via 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions — to land 2022 five-star defensive end Shemar Stewart.

Stewart, 6-foot-5/260 lbs from Opa Locka, FL (Monsignor Pace), is ranked in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 1 strong-side defensive end in the country and the No. 1 player in Florida. He’s also ranked as the No. 7 overall player in the 2022 recruiting class.

Will Shemar Stewart be LSU football’s next 5-star commit?

Nearly every top program in the country is after Stewart — a talented defensive end who has first-round draft potential according to 247Sports recruiting analyst Andrew Ivins.

Stewart, however, only has one official visit scheduled so far. And that’s for LSU.

While I’m sure Stewart will eventually use his other official visits — it’s part of the recruiting experience, after all — it’s notable that LSU is the only program he’s currently scheduled to officially visit.

It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see Stewart commit to the Tigers after his official visit on June 4.

Of course, even if Stewart commits in June, LSU would still need to work hard to keep another program from stealing the elite defensive lineman.

Now, it’s worth noting that Stewart said in March that he’s not planning to make his decision until February.

Recruiting, however, is fluid. And visits can change everything. It’s certainly possible that Stewart takes his official visit to Baton Rouge and decides LSU is the place he needs to be.

Regardless of when Stewart announces his decision, it feels like this is battle is trending the right way for the Tigers.