Highest-rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Louisiana
Highest-rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Louisiana
The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Louisiana using data from 247Sports. Here's the players from Louisiana set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
#20. Blaise Thomassie (IOL)
- Position rank: #61
- College: not committed
- Offers: TCU, Stanford, Florida, Duke, Tulane
- High school: Catholic - Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge, LA)
#19. Ari Slocum (DL)
- Position rank: #79
- College: Arkansas
- Offers: Arkansas, Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Auburn, Houston
- High school: Union Parish (Farmerville, LA)
#18. Ke'Rynn Smith (RB)
- Position rank: #37
- College: not committed
- Offers: Arkansas, Arkansas State, Florida A&M, Houston, Indiana
- High school: Holy Cross (New Orleans, LA)
#17. Leon Noil Jr. (IOL)
- Position rank: #53
- College: not committed
- Offers: Mississippi State, Houston, Nebraska, Baylor, UCF
- High school: Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
#16. Alvin Celestin (RB)
- Position rank: #35
- College: not committed
- Offers: Arkansas, Arkansas State, Georgia Tech, Liberty, Louisiana Tech
- High school: Terrebonne (Houma, LA)
#14 (tie). Dezyrian Ellis (ATH)
- Position rank: #35
- College: not committed
- Offers: Michigan State, Houston, Jackson State, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech
- High school: Franklin Parish (Winnsboro, LA)
#14 (tie). Chris Addison (Edge)
- Position rank: #49
- College: not committed
- Offers: Tulane, Michigan State, Houston, Mississippi State, Arizona State
- High school: Franklin Parish (Winnsboro, LA)
#13. Darryus McKinley (DL)
- Position rank: #53
- College: not committed
- Offers: Auburn, Baylor, Colorado, Florida, Houston
- High school: Acadiana (Lafayette, LA)
#12. Roderick Tezeno (WR)
- Position rank: #62
- College: USC
- Offers: USC, Kentucky, Houston, Tulane, Arkansas State
- High school: Opelousas Catholic School (Opelousas, LA)
#11. Hayward Howard Jr. (CB)
- Position rank: #26
- College: Texas
- Offers: Texas, Miami, Alcorn State, Auburn, Colorado
- High school: Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
#10. Jakai Anderson (WR)
- Position rank: #38
- College: SMU
- Offers: SMU, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Grambling State, Louisville
- High school: McDonogh 35 (New Orleans, LA)
#9. JaMichael Garrett (LB)
- Position rank: #14
- College: Auburn
- Offers: Auburn, Texas A&M, Miami, Arkansas, Baylor
- High school: Central (Baton Rouge, LA)
#8. Dylan Berymon (DL)
- Position rank: #22
- College: not committed
- Offers: Texas, Houston, Purdue, Texas Tech, Texas A&M
- High school: Ouachita Parish (Monroe, LA)
#7. Kenny Darby (WR)
- Position rank: #23
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Alabama, Tennessee, Houston, Kentucky
- High school: Airline (Bossier City, LA)
#6. Brysten Martinez (OT)
- Position rank: #6
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Alabama, Baylor, Central Arkansas, Florida
- High school: East Ascension (Gonzales, LA)
#5. Aiden Hall (S)
- Position rank: #7
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Auburn, Colorado, Florida A&M, Miami
- High school: Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
#4. Jabari Mack (WR)
- Position rank: #6
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Arkansas
- High school: Destrehan (Destrehan, LA)
#3. Richard Anderson (DL)
- Position rank: #2
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn, Baylor
- High school: Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
#2. Blaine Bradford (S)
- Position rank: #2
- College: Ohio State
- Offers: Ohio State, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn
- High school: Catholic - Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge, LA)
#1. Lamar Brown (DL)
- Position rank: #1
- College: not committed
- Offers: LSU, Texas A&M, Texas, Miami, Alabama
- High school: University Lab (Baton Rouge, LA)