Lane Kiffin has made the WR position a priority in the transfer portal, having brought in more than half a dozen receivers thus far. The Tiger WR room now has more depth thanks to Kiffin's latest get over the weekend.
LSU lands transfer QB but it doesn't mean the Sam Leavitt dream is dead yet
According to Hayes Fawcett of On3, LSU has landed a commitment from former Ole Miss WR Winston Watkins. Watkins is the first player from Ole Miss to sign with LSU and follow Kiffin from Oxford to Baton Rouge. He has 3 years of eligibility remaining.
BREAKING: Ole Miss true freshman transfer WR Winston Watkins Jr. has Committed to LSU, he tells @On3sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 12, 2026
Watkins totaled 26 receptions for 373 yards and 1 TD in 2025 (14.3 YPC)https://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/s3RZew9hKx
LSU lands commitment from Winston Watkins through the transfer portal
LSU was the team to watch from the jump in Watkins' transfer portal recruitment. Along with having an established relationship with Kiffin, Watkins was recruited and coached by current LSU wide receivers coach George McDonald, who also followed Kiffin from Ole Miss to LSU. After deciding to enter the transfer portal last week, Watkins wasted little time getting to Baton Rouge. He scheduled a visit to LSU right away, and has now made things official with the Tigers.
Watkins put together a strong true freshman season in 2025. Appearing in all 15 games for the Rebels, Watkins hauled in 26 passes for 373 yards and a touchdown. He also added 21 rushing yards on 5 carries. His best performance of the season came back on October 25 when he racked up a career-high 111 receiving yards on 4 catches to help lead the Rebels to a big 34-26 road win over the Oklahoma Sooners.
Hailing from Fort Myers, FL, Watkins was a 4-star prospect and ranked as the No. 27 player in the state of Florida and No. 31 WR in the country for the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports.
Watkins joins and LSU WR room that also features transfers Eugene Wilson III (Florida), Tre' Brown III (Old Dominion), Jayce Brown (Kansas State), Jackson Harris (Hawai'i), Tyree Holloway (West Florida), Josh Jackson (McNeese), and Malik Elzy (Illinois). LSU's incoming recruiting class from the high school ranks also features 4-star Corey Barber, 4-star Jabari Mack, and 3-star Brayden Allen.