Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers inexcusably whiff on elite five-star in their own backyard who could be dominant at two major positions of need

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Ryan Roberts | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 2:42 PM ET

When you talk about the most elite football recruits in the 2026 class, Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab defensive lineman Lamar Brown is typically on the short list. The 6-4, 285-pounder has the talent to play offensive tackle, interior offensive line, or defensive tackle on the next level. He truly has elite upside that he brings to the table at either position.

Considering Brown goes to high school literally on the LSU campus, this is a huge one for head coach Brian Kelly and the Tiger program. You must be able to keep elite talent in your background at home, no matter what.

In Brown’s case, it appears that he will be heading away from Baton Rouge. It was recently announced that his official visit to LSU was cancelled for this weekend. Texas A&M, who he just took an official visit to this past weekend, as well as Texas and Miami, are a few of the front runners to know.

When you head into the 2025 college football season, LSU has put together a good overall roster. Two of the biggest question marks for the team are on the offensive line, as well as at defensive tackle. After being recruited mostly for the offensive line early on, a lot of schools have valued Brown more on defense.

It is a big loss to not land Brown.

Brown is considered to be a five-star by multiple of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247Sports Composite ranking, he currently sits as the No. 5 overall player, No. 1 defensive lineman, and No. 1 player in the state of Louisiana for the 2026 recruiting class. For their own 247Sports ranking, they have him pegged similarly, coming in as the No. 7 overall player in the country.

It isn’t overly surprising that Brown has put together an elite offer list. Some Of his top offers includes the Tigers, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, USC, Florida, Texas A&M, Miami, Florida State, Auburn, Colorado, TCU, UFC, Vanderbilt, UNC, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Arizona, and Houston among others.