LSU fans are suffering from a case of déjà vu after No. 1 WR Tristen Keys announced that he has flipped his commitment from LSU to Tennessee earlier this week. The move is a big win for Josh Heupel and the Volunteers, who now have five-star QB Faizon Brandon and five-star WR Tristen Keys headed to Knoxville next season. The pair figure to give the Vols a scary passing attack.
LSU still has commitments in the 2026 class from four-star wide receivers Jabari Mack and Kenny Darby. But, losing Keys still stings. To make matters worse, it's the second consecutive season that LSU has seen the No. 1 WR recruit in the country abandon their commitment to the Tigers.
During the 2025 recruiting cycle, LSU landed a commitment from Dakorien Moore, who was rated as the No. 1 WR in the country. However, the five-star recruit decommitted following his junior season at Duncanville High School in Texas. He eventually chose Oregon over LSU, Ohio State, and Texas.
LSU's WR development more important than ever
Getting players to campus is one thing, but developing their talent is what matters most. LSU has no problem developing wide receiver talent. The Tigers have produced a long list of top-tier NFL receivers in recent years, making LSU known as "WRU." No matter who comes to Baton Rouge, the program has been the model of developing wide receivers and sending them off to great careers in the NFL.
Even without Keys, LSU fans are confident in the program's ability to put together a strong WR group for 2026 and beyond. In the modern world of college football, the transfer portal presents great opportunities for schools to quickly round out rosters. Recruiting from the high school ranks is still pivotal, but the transfer portal can be a very effective tool when teams are constructing their rosters. Brian Kelly and his staff have utilized it effectively, bringing in the No. 1 transfer portal class this past offseason.
At the receiver position, LSU brought in Nic Anderson (Oklahoma), Barion Brown (Kentucky), and Destyn Hill (Florida State). All could be in line for solid contributions for the 2025 Tigers. After watching No. 1 WR recruits flip their commitments in back-to-back years, the transfer portal could be a useful tool for Kelly and his staff once again.