LSU football cracks top-five for elite Louisiana-based class of 2026 safety

Top Louisiana-based class of 2026 safety Blaine Bradford became the latest recruit to include LSU football among his finalists after releasing a top-five that also includes Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon earlier this week.

Top class of 2026 safety Blaine Bradford names LSU football as one of his top-five contenders

While big names like Jahkeem Stewart and Lamar Brown have received the bulk of attention as far as Louisiana-based recruiting goes in the class of 2026, there are several other elite players coming out of the Boot that just about any program in the country would be thrilled to have.

One such player is that of class of 2026 safety Blaine Bradford, the top safety in the country and a likely future five-star recruit. Having claim to nearly 30 offers already, Bradford is one of the most sought-after players in high school football, and he’s already beginning to find some favorites for his future school.

Earlier this week, the talented Louisiana defensive back elected to trim his list of contenders all the way down to five, including Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon as the top schools to keep an eye on through the remainder of his recruitment.

NEWS: Elite 2026 Safety Blaine Bradford is down to 5️⃣ Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’2 205 S from Baton Rouge, LA is ranked as a Top 10 Recruit in ‘26 (No. 1 Safety) per On3

Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/HkUeZgMBbW pic.twitter.com/VssFXTcIZo

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 3, 2024

Officially listed as a 6-foot-1, 200-pound safety out of Catholic High School, Bradford has just about every trait you could possibly want out of the star of your defense. From impressive closing speed to a willingness to run downhill in order to make a tackle behind the line of scrimmage, he’s truly the definition of a field general.

If anything, the biggest concern to keep watch of is overall health and ability to stay on the field. After missing most of his sophomore season with a knee injury, there’s still plenty of unknown for him as far as development goes, but it’s still not difficult to see the upside.

With experience in both baseball and track, Bradford is one of the best athletes in the entire state, so expect Brian Kelly and his entire coaching staff to roll out the red carpet in this one all the way up until national signing day. Keeping the class of 2026 safety in-state should and will be a priority, and there’s plenty of time remaining to make it happen.

The Tiger recruiting class of 2026 currently ranks No. 9 nationally, as well as No. 5 in-conference with three total commitments. New Orleans-based defensive lineman Richard Anderson is the current leader of the group, ranking No. 116 nationally, according to On3, but adding a player of Bradford’s caliber could give LSU the momentum needed to make a push for the top group in the entire country.

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