Ruston (La.) five-star tight end Ahmad Hudson had previously hinted that a commitment could come sooner than his planned July date, but he surprised plenty by announcing his pledge to LSU on Sunday afternoon.
The towering 6-foot-6, 230-pounder, who’s also a coveted basketball recruit, ultimately chose the Tigers over Nebraska. His commitment helped LSU surge up five spots to No. 7 in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.
The Tigers, who still have just five total commits this cycle, leaped past Miami, UCLA, Notre Dame, Georgia and Florida. Keeping Hudson in The Boot at the next level is a gigantic win for Lane Kiffin and the LSU staff.
“When you speak to a head coach, it shows how much they care about you,” Hudson previously told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman. “Coach Kiffin was texting me before the state championship game, wishing me good luck. Not a lot of people like that have the time to really do that, so that shows that he took time out of his busy day as the head coach of Louisiana State University to wish me good luck. It’s just different.”
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LSU starting to heat up on the trail
The Tigers are already in tremendous position to sign another top-notch class despite having just five commits in the boat thus far. Landing a five-star often acts as a catalyst for momentum and the Tigers could be in for a big May as official visit season nears.
Last month saw LSU land a pair of blue-chippers in Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna four-star wide receiver Ah’Mari Stevens and Cecilia (La.) four-star athlete Braylon Calais.
Stevens, the No. 270 recruit and No. 39 WR in the nation, flipped to the Tigers from Miami. Calais, like Hudson, was another coveted in-state target. He ranks as the No. 185 recruit and No. 5 athlete.
“They’ve definitely been on me,” Calais previously told Rivals. “Knowing I’m the top athlete in Louisiana, I’m high on their board. The pressure on me has been drastically increasing with Coach Lane Kiffin hitting me up. They’re showing love all over the place.”
Hudson isn’t the only five-star in the class, either. Back in January, Irmo (S.C.) five-star EDGE Jaiden Bryant locked in with position coach Sterling Lucas and Co. He’s the No. 29 overall prospect in the cycle.
Then there’s Cotton Valley (La.) Evangel Christian Academy four-star quarterback Peyton Houston, the nation’s No. 106 recruit and No. 8 QB. He’s been in the mix since September and remained locked in despite the coaching changes.
An up-to-date look at the class can be seen here.