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. Players are ranked by the 247Sports Composite ranking. Here's the players from Louisiana set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 20#20. Brayden Allen (WR)
- National rank: #580 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #84
- College: Oklahoma
- Offers: Oklahoma, Colorado, Boston College, Texas Tech, Appalachian State
- High school: Lafayette Christian Academy (Lafayette, LA)
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2 / 20#19. Darryus McKinley (DL)
- National rank: #555 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #69
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Ohio State, Tennessee, Auburn, Baylor
- High school: Acadiana (Lafayette, LA)
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3 / 20#18. Ke'Rynn Smith (RB)
- National rank: #532 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #36
- College: not committed
- Offers: Arkansas, Arkansas State, Florida A&M, Houston, Indiana
- High school: Holy Cross (New Orleans, LA)
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4 / 20#17. Chris Addison (Edge)
- National rank: #506 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #50
- College: Michigan State
- Offers: Michigan State, Florida State, UCLA, Arizona State, Arkansas
- High school: Franklin Parish (Winnsboro, LA)
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6 / 20#15. Jakai Anderson (WR)
- National rank: #409 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #59
- College: SMU
- Offers: SMU, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Grambling State, Louisville
- High school: McDonogh 35 (New Orleans, LA)
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7 / 20#14. Hayward Howard Jr. (CB)
- National rank: #402 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #34
- College: Texas
- Offers: Texas, Colorado, Alcorn State, Auburn, Florida
- High school: Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
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8 / 20#13. Roderick Tezeno (WR)
- National rank: #377 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #56
- College: USC
- Offers: USC, Kentucky, Houston, Tulane, Arkansas State
- High school: Opelousas Catholic School (Opelousas, LA)
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9 / 20#12. Isaiah Washington (ATH)
- National rank: #347 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #22
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Arkansas, Tulane, Baylor, Louisiana Tech
- High school: Haynesville (Haynesville, LA)
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10 / 20#11. Dezyrian Ellis (ATH)
- National rank: #341 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #21
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, West Virginia, Tulane, Houston, Arkansas State
- High school: Franklin Parish (Winnsboro, LA)
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11 / 20#10. Trez Davis (WR)
- National rank: #315 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #48
- College: Tulane
- Offers: Tulane, Houston, Arkansas, Baylor, Kentucky
- High school: West Monroe (West Monroe, LA)
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12 / 20#9. JaMichael Garrett (LB)
- National rank: #237 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #11
- College: Ole Miss
- Offers: Ole Miss, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Colorado
- High school: Central (Baton Rouge, LA)
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13 / 20#8. Kenny Darby (WR)
- National rank: #227 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #37
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Alabama, Tennessee, Houston, Kentucky
- High school: Airline (Bossier City, LA)
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14 / 20#7. Dylan Berymon (DL)
- National rank: #207 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #28
- College: not committed
- Offers: Texas, Purdue, Texas Tech, Arizona State, Baylor
- High school: Ouachita Parish (Monroe, LA)
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15 / 20Andrew Angelov // Shutterstock
16 / 20#5. Brysten Martinez (OT)
- National rank: #106 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #8
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Alabama, Baylor, Central Arkansas, Florida
- High school: East Ascension (Gonzales, LA)
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17 / 20#4. Jabari Mack (WR)
- National rank: #76 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #7
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor
- High school: Destrehan (Destrehan, LA)
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18 / 20#3. Richard Anderson (DL)
- National rank: #48 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #3
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn, Baylor
- High school: Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
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19 / 20#2. Blaine Bradford (S)
- National rank: #41 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #6
- College: Ohio State
- Offers: Ohio State, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor
- High school: Baton Rouge Catholic (Baton Rouge, LA)
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20 / 20#1. Lamar Brown (DL)
- National rank: #1 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #1
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Texas A&M, Texas, Miami, Alabama
- High school: University Lab (Baton Rouge, LA)
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