With spring practice fully in-action, head coach Brian Kelly and his coaching staff haven’t forgotten about the world of recruiting, as the LSU football recruiting class of 2026 landed two more commitments over the weekend, this time from Louisiana-based wide receiver Jabari Mack and Alabama-based cornerback Dylan Purter.
Jabari Mack gives the LSU football recruiting class of 2026 its 4th WR commitment
Is there such thing as too many elite wide receivers on one roster? Maybe, but don’t tell LSU wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton that.
When taking a look at the upcoming 2025 season for the Tigers, there’s certainly no shortage of high-level pass catchers. In fact, that may actually be a bit of an understatement. For starters, three of their top targets out wide are set to return, as Aaron Anderson, Chris Hilton Jr and Zavion Thomas are all back in Baton Rouge for spring practice.
As if that weren’t already impressive enough, head coach Brian Kelly went as hard on the transfer portal as we’ve seen in recent memory, bringing in SEC experienced wide receivers Barion Brown and Nic Anderson, as well as former Oklahoma tight end Bauer Sharp.
Even crazier, is the fact that we haven’t even mentioned the stellar group of five blue chip underclassmen hoping to find their way into the rotation.
Interestingly enough, one year of that chaos wasn’t enough for coach Hankton. Instead, he might actually be hoping to make this a trend, as the Tigers most recently landed their eye-popping fourth wide receiver commitment of the class of 2026, this time from four-star New Orleans, LA, product Jabari Mack.
Standing as a 6-foot, 192-pound pass catcher, Mack has been one of the top wide receivers in the state of Louisiana for years now, and his recruiting ranking more than displays this. Currently rated as the No. 82 player nationally, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, as well as No. 5 in-state, he’s at the very least well on his way to becoming a nationally recognized name in this recruiting cycle.
As a junior in 2024, the talented Destrehan High School product placed a significant emphasis on versatility, showing the kind of route running necessary for short gains, as well as the kind of speed and hands needed to take the top off a defense.
Jabari Mack will join five-star Tristen Keys (Hattiesberg, MS), four-star Kenny Darby (Bossier City, LA) and four-star Jakai Anderson (New Orleans, LA), as one of four wide receiver commitments looking to make an immediate impact for the purple and gold in 2026.
Four-star CB Dylan Purter brings the Tigers up to No. 1 nationally
While most casual football fans recognize LSU as “WRU” now-a-days, it wasn’t too long ago, that it was also widely viewed as “DBU,” thanks to names such as Patrick Peterson, Jamal Adams, Tyrann Mathieu, and most recently, Derek Stingley Jr.
That said, a few rocky seasons in a row on the defensive side of the ball have a habit of helping people forget, and this is exactly what the Tiger coaching staff is actively working to amend. Fortunately, secondary coach Corey Raymond hasn’t forgotten the ways of the past, and in many ways, he played a major role in shaping it, having coached multiple of the players listed above.
In turn, since head coach Brian Kelly brought Raymond back to Baton Rouge ahead of the 2024 season, it didn’t take long for the veteran secondary coach to get to work. Just last cycle, LSU football brought in five blue chip defensive back recruits, and now it looks like he’s going to try and do the same thing for the class of 2026, most recently adding a pledge from four-star cornerback Dylan Purter over the weekend.
Listed as a 6-foot-1, 172-pound cornerback out of Tuskegee, AL, Purter has ideal length for just about any position in the defensive backfield, and as a quick riser, he likely hasn’t reached his peak in this cycle’s recruiting rankings.
Currently sitting strong as the No. 339 player nationally, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, as well as No. 14 among players in the state of Alabama, the Booker T. Washington standout isn’t exactly the highest rated player in the Tiger class of 2026, but it’s hard to deny his upside.
A three-sport athlete for his high school, including time in both track and basketball, you’d be hard pressed to find a more complete athletic background. Additionally, having logged 97 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and one kick blocked in just nine games of action as a junior on the gridiron, production isn’t a concern either.
For the time being, Dylan Purter and four-star Louisiana product, Aiden Hall, are the only two defensive backs committed to the purple and gold class of 2026, but it’s a fairly safe bet that this will be much changed by the time the cycle comes to a close.
LSU football class of 2026 commitments (ratings according to On3 Industry Rankings)
- 5-star WR Tristen Keys (Hattiesberg, MS)
- 4-star DL Richard Anderson (New Orleans, LA)
- 4-star S Aiden Hall (New Orleans, LA)
- 4-star WR Jabari Mack (New Orleans, LA)
- 4-star OT Brysten Martinez (Gonzales, LA)
- 4-star WR Kenny Darby (Bossier City, LA)
- 4-star WR Jakai Anderson (New Orleans, LA)
- 4-star CB Dylan Purter (Tuskegee, AL)
- 3-star IOL Jalan Chapman (New Orleans, LA)
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