Lane Kiffin dominating in-state recruiting early on at LSU

On Wednesday, Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers picked up a big commitment from four-star running back Trey Martin from Winnsboro, Louisiana.

Not only is this a huge in-state recruiting win for Kiffin and the Tigers, but the competition was fierce. The Florida Gators were strongly in the running for Martin's commitment, as were the Ole Miss Rebels, who know a thing or two about Kiffin.

In the end, Kiffin beat out his old program and the program that tried hard to get him (Florida).

It was several visits to Baton Rouge plus an official visit this past weekend that helped the Tigers win this recruiting battle.

"It's different," Martin recently told 247Sports of LSU. "When you go down now, they let you know the brand is just different. From the players to the coaches and the new staff, all of them are just amazing. They have some real good coaches with real good connections. When I went down there for the junior day, it's like home. There's nothing like it. It's different, but there are some other places out there too."

Those "other places" got some consideration from Martin. He also took official visits to Tennessee, Houston, Alabama, Ole Miss and Florida.

New LSU HC Lane Kiffin cleaning up in-state

In-state recruiting has always been important in college football, but an argument can be made that it has become even more vital for "blue-blood" programs like LSU in the NIL and transfer portal era.

Let's not forget that Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers just won the national championship. Cignetti and the Hoosiers are the perfect example of a non-traditional college football power that can now compete thanks to NIL deals with top recruits and acquisitions of experienced talent in the portal.

Loyalty may not have ever existed in recruiting, but growing up and rooting for your nearby program is still a thing. That's what makes in-state recruiting vital. In Louisiana, these are kids who grew up watching LSU win championships. In an era where any player can go anywhere, that creates loyalty that could speak louder than an NIL deal. It certainly could help Kiffin and LSU keep these players when the portal opens up.

So, yes, it's a big deal that Kiffin's 2027 class is ranked No. 19 in the country. It's even bigger that he's securing the top players from the state, though.

LSU now has 13 commitments with the addition of Martin, and six of them are from the state of Louisiana. Even better for LSU is the fact that four of the top 10 recruits from the state are committed to the Tigers.

Martin is included in that group.

At 5-foot-10, 202 pounds, he's ranked as the No. 12 running back in the 2027 class and the No. 6 player from the state of Louisiana, according to the 247Sports Composite.

In 2025 for Franklin Parrish High School, he rushed 115 times for 1,310 yards and 26 touchdowns while adding 277 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver.