Nation's No. 1 IOL, Five-Star LSU Football Target Being Pushed by Elite Tigers Commit

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 10:20 AM ET

Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher School five-star offensive lineman Darius Gray recently narrowed his focus to five programs with Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers firmly in the race.

Gray, the top-ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle, will choose between the LSU Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks, Clemson Tigers, Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers on August 22 with "Decision Day" inching closer.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder remains one of the top uncommitted prospects in America with position coach Brad Davis and Co. keeping a foot on the gas for the Virginia native.

"Definitely Coach Davis. Coach Davis is one of the greatest humans that I’ve ever talked to," Gray told Tennessee Volunteers On SI. "He gives off a father figure.

"He hopes the kids grow as men, and that is very important with me coming into college at 18, so to have someone like that to help you develop as an NFL player, but also as a great human being, a great husband, a great father, and that is just something I want.

"LSU kind of speaks for itself. It’s a winning program. They do everything to develop linemen perfectly, so that’s good and they check all the boxes.”

But the Bayou Bengals will face stiff competition down the stretch with a source indicating to LSU Tigers On SI that this will be an LSU versus South Carolina battle down the stretch.

Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks are firmly in the mix with one source believing that the distance between Gray's hometown and Columbia (S.C.) is key along with the relationship with the South Carolina staff.

“They have been the longest relationship possible. I think the most important thing to me is how everyone remained the same," Gray said.

"You know way back, they were a five or six win team and now they are scratching the surface for playoffs and not once did they change anything that they are doing with their culture, so I think that’s been the biggest thing for me and Coach Beamer is an amazing people that you’d want to play for.”

For LSU, the program is seeing members of the 2026 Recruiting Class intensify their pursuit for Gray ramp up with five-star pledge Lamar Brown spearheading the push.

LSU landed Brown's pledge on July 10 with the five-star Louisiana native electing to remain in the Bayou State and play for the hometown program.

"It just feels good to play for my state and city. Not just for three or four years but for years after football life. I'm just blessed to be in this position and ready to play in Tiger Stadium," Brown said.

"Frank Wilson. He's been on me since the first day. The whole staff, I have a relationship with the whole staff, everybody on the staff that helped for this moment."

Now, he has a focus on adding Gray to the 2026 Recruiting Class.