Death Valley Voice
Fansided

LSU football’s latest recruit brings elite speed to the offense

By John Fye

Head Coach Brian Kelly and BJ Ojulari lead the Tigers onto the field as LSU Tigers take on Mississippi State at Tiger Stadium. Sept. 17, 2022. Mandatory Credit: SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY NETWORK. Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022.Lsu Vs Miss State Football V5 0386
Head Coach Brian Kelly and BJ Ojulari lead the Tigers onto the field as LSU Tigers take on Mississippi State at Tiger Stadium. Sept. 17, 2022. Mandatory Credit: SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY NETWORK. Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022.Lsu Vs Miss State Football V5 0386 /
facebooktwitterreddit

LSU football and Brian Kelly remain red hot on the recruiting trail. As such, the Tigers’ latest commitment is an absolute burner.

The 2023 LSU football recruiting class returned to the consensus top 10 rankings after receiver Jelani Watkins committed to the Tigers on Friday.

Watkins is a 4-star prospect from Houston, Texas, with a ton of speed. He won multiple state titles during his junior season of track and field. There’s video proof of Watkins’ blistering speed while anchoring the 4×100 relay at the 6A Texas State Championships.

LSU football recruiting class now has four receivers committed to play football in Death Valley in 2024. Such includes Watkins, Kylan Billiot (4-star), Joseph Stone (4-star), and Michael Turner (4-star). Four receivers is the ideal number considering the likelihood that Malik Nabers, Kyren Lacey, and Brian Thomas Jr. seek professional football careers following this season.

Moreover, Brian Kelly must always anticipate the inevitability of players entering the transfer portal. Either way, Jelani Watkins becomes the highest-rated receiver of LSU’s 2024 class. He is the 35th-ranked high school player in Texas and the 32nd-ranked receiver nationally.

On3’s Charles Powers summed up what LSU football is getting in Watkins

"“You start off with his elite speed,” Power said. “He is one of the fastest prospects in the 2024 cycle and doubles as one of the best track athletes we’ve seen in this cycle.”“He has a ton of burst. In addition to straight line speed, he changes directions well. He can take the top off a defense, and any time the ball is in his hands he’s a threat to take it to the house. He plays with an exceptional burst and speed”"

Brian Kelly continues his impressive recruiting run that closed out in July. The LSU football head coach secured commitments from five players in 10 days. Moreover, the Tigers’ enjoyed a ton of momentum following their Bayou Splash recruiting event and emerged as favorites to land pledges from Duncanville (Tx.) studs Colin Simmons and Caden Durham.

Next. Why LSU’s best QB might not be QB1. dark

Simmons is slated to announce his commitment on Thursday, August 10th.

Home/LSU Football Recruiting