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Brian Kelly and LSU land four-star CB Havon Finney
Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers have been making some moves on the 2026 recruiting trail and their latest pickup is quite a big one.
Havon Finney from Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, California, committed to the Tigers on Monday. Notably, Michigan, Oregon and USC were amongst the other schools high up on the list for the four-star cornerback, so this marks another important recruiting win for the Tigers.
At 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Finney fits that traditional LSU mold as a lanky and tall cornerback who can lock down the outside of a defense. He's also highly ranked as a recruit. According to the 247Sports Composite, he's the No. 7 cornerback recruit in the 2026 class.
He was originally a 2027 recruit, but he reclassified to 2026 and is joining an LSU class that's stacked. LSU can thank his primary recruiter, cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond, for facilitating this recruiting win.
"The corners coach is really cool, Corey Raymond. He’s put a lot of dudes in the league. I’ve grown to know him, and it’s been a cool experience," Finney had told Steve Wiltfong of On3 roughly a month before his commitment.
According to the national recruiting rankings from 247Sports, Kelly's 2026 class is ranked fourth in the nation behind only USC, Clemson and Notre Dame. There's still a lot of time for things to shake out, but Kelly is building one heck of a class in 2026, right after he brought in the seventh-best class in 2025.
Kelly has had a hard time winning the big game as a head coach over the years, but he's brought in some big-time talent to LSU since becoming head coach in 2022.
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Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners lose yet another elite defensive recruit to an inferior program
The Oklahoma Sooners are getting to work even more than they were before, on their 2027 class and recruiting cycle, with it being the first full cycle for general manager Jim Nagy. But, there are some things they still have to clean up for the 2026 class. They're awaiting decisions from edge rusher Jake Kreul, who is between Oklahoma and Texas, and wide receiver Davian Groce, who is between Oklahoma and Baylor. But, as of Saturday, they just lost a recruiting battle for another guy in the 2026 class who was considering Oklahoma. Sooners lose out on 2026 defensive tackle T.I. Umu-Cais Tufanua Ionatana, or “T.I.," Umu-Cais is a four-star defensive lineman from the class of 2026, and one of the best in the entire country at his position. Playing for Cherry Creek High School in Englewood, Colorado, he was a recruit that the Sooners had been going after, but also knew that they would have a tough time winning him over, as some other schools fit him much better. At 6'3" and 307 pounds, he’s the No. 1 recruit in Colorado, No. 40 defensive lineman, and No. 293 overall per 247Sports, though the Composite ranks him as a three-star at No. 454 overall and No. 54 at his position. Other recruiting sites have him as a no-doubt four-star, and it's safe to say that's what Oklahoma thinks as well. Umu-Cais dominates as a nose guard or three-technique, excelling at stopping the run and rushing the passer. In college, he will be great as a guy who eats up space and makes plays for his teammates. And, he can develop into one hell of a run stopper, too, and that's the kind of guy that Brent Venables and his staff love. His junior year stats include 82 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. He also plays offensive guard but is recruited for defense. However, playing the other side of the ball certainly helps him prepare and learn on the defensive side of things, too. And that's one thing schools like about him. He committed to Washington on July 26, choosing the Huskies over UCLA, Colorado, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, with over 30 offers from schools like Stanford, Auburn, Texas, and USC. Washington’s coaching staff, including head coach Jedd Fisch and defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi, built a strong relationship with Umu-Cais, leading to his commitment. He visited Stanford, UCLA, Colorado, Colorado State, and Washington, with key trips to Washington’s junior day in March 2025 and an official visit in June. This was a huge win for the Huskies and a loss for the Sooners. It wasn't too big of a loss, because they always had a feeling he would go elsewhere, but it was a loss nonetheless.
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Dodgers Facing Trade Decision After Blake Snell News
Left-handed starting pitcher Blake Snell is in his tenth major-league season after making his debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016. Snell spent time with the San Diego Padres, then signed a deal with the San Francisco Giants after the 2023 season, which he later opted out of to enter free agency in 2024. The 32-year-old veteran signed a five-year, $182 million contract this offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers after an exceptional 2024 campaign. Snell earned such a lucrative contract thanks to his outstanding career to date, which includes two Cy Young Awards and an All-Star appearance. Over 213 career starts, he owns a 77–58 record, a 3.18 ERA and 1,372 strikeouts. Snell was placed on the injured list on April 6 (retroactive to April 3) with left shoulder inflammation after experiencing discomfort during a bullpen session; he had made only two starts for the Dodgers before the injury. After four minor-league rehab outings, manager Dave Roberts announced on Sunday that Snell is expected to rejoin the rotation next week. With his return looming, the Dodgers have decided to shift to a six-man rotation but now face a decision on right-hander Dustin May’s roster status. May returned to a full-time starting role for the first time in two seasons and has struggled. On Sunday against the Boston Red Sox, May allowed four runs in five innings of work, and he entered the start with an ERA of 4.73. May’s name has surfaced in trade rumors, and he is a candidate to potentially be moved to the bullpen. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
Lakers' Luka Doncic Going Viral for Shocking Body Transformation
The Los Angeles Lakers have been very invested in getting Luka Doncic into better shape this offseason. After how poorly he played defense and how tired he looked against Minnesota in the playoffs, it has been their top priority. Doncic has never been the most fit player in the league. He is still one of the best players in the league, but he could be a lot better if he were less tired at the end of the season. So far this offseason, it looks like Doncic has been committed to the training program that the Lakers put him on. He looks like an entirely different player. More news: NBA Insider Reveals Why Bradley Beal Spurned Lakers for Clippers A video of Doncic has been circulating online, showing off his body transformation. The Lakers would be thrilled if Doncic were able to stay this fit all year long. He needs to be able to play better defense now that he is the face of the franchise, and that could be abetted by improved lateral quickness. A big reason why the Lakers lost to the Timberwolves in the playoffs is because of their inability to stop guards from penetrating the paint. The starting backcourt is not a good defensive one. Doncic isn't the only one to blame for poor perimeter defense. Austin Reaves isn't the best defender, either. The difference with him is that he at least tries to be in the right spot on defense. At times against the Wolves, he was too tired to actually stay in front of some of the players who were attacking him. A large part of Minnesota's game plan was to get Doncic switched on to Anthony Edwards. More news: Massive 5-Team Blockbuster Trade Sees Lakers' LeBron James Shipped for $238 Million All-Star The Lakers would be in a great position to contend for a title if Doncic could stay in shape for an entire season. Based on this video, he has a renewed commitment to doing that. Doncic likely has extra motivation to show the Dallas Mavericks what they decided to trade away. He wants to prove them wrong for deciding to get rid of him. After he was traded to the Lakers, Doncic averaged 28.2 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. He shot 43.8 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. More news: Former Lakers Guard Signing in Israel to Continue Career For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
Important trade stalls as Maple Leafs dangle bottom-six forward
The Toronto Maple Leafs are still looking for a solution to their bottom-six surplus, and veteran forward Calle Jarnkrok remains at the center of trade discussions. However, according to The Fourth Period, trade talks surrounding the 33-year-old winger have failed to gain momentum. They write: “He has a $2.1M cap hit and owns a 10-team no-trade list. The market hasn’t been vibrant, to this point, but the Leafs will continue to dangle him.” Why can’t the Maple Leafs find a taker for Jarnkrok? Jarnkrok has quietly been on the trade block for much of the offseason, but general manager Brad Treliving has yet to find a taker. After adding several depth forwards this summer, the Leafs now face a crowded bottom six — and Jarnkrok’s age, injury history and $2.1M cap hit through 2025–26 aren’t helping his value. Since joining Toronto, Jarnkrok has appeared in only 71 games over two seasons, scoring a modest 28 points. While his defensive versatility and penalty-killing ability are assets, his declining offensive production and durability concerns have made teams wary. With training camp approaching, the Maple Leafs may be forced to keep Jarnkrok on the roster — or retain salary in a deal — if they want to create space and flexibility. Dropping his cap hit down to just over $1M would open up the market a little. Until then, the Swedish forward remains a trade candidate in limbo. This isn’t great news as moving Jarnkrok from the roster is an important item on the team’s to-do list. Treliving would like more cap space, and with Jarnkrok and David Kampf both still on the roster, it hampers the GM’s ability to do other things.
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