LSU football named a finalist for the No. 1 player in Louisiana

What a recruiting season it’s been for coach Brian Kelly. LSU football currently sits at No. 5 overall in the class of 2024 recruiting cycle, and they aren’t even close to being done. Now, Kelly has his eyes set on the No. 1 player in Louisiana, defensive lineman Dominick McKinley.

LSU football named a finalist for elite defensive end Dominick McKinley

At this point, if a player goes to high school in Louisiana, it comes as a shock if he doesn’t commit to LSU. When looking at the top eight players in the state, they’ve either already committed to the program or are expected to.

That is next-level dominance, and now the Tigers have been named a finalist for the No. 1 player in the state, Dominick McKinley.

BREAKING: Five-Star DL Dominick McKinley is down to 6️⃣ Schools!

The 6’6 270 DL from Lafayette, LA is ranked as a Top 15 Player in the ‘24 Class (No. 3 DL)

Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/zSRy6CI8R4 pic.twitter.com/6FXn4x3Xwt

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 1, 2023

The 6-foot-5, 280-pound prospect out of Acadiana in Lafayette, LA, is listed as the only five-star prospect in Louisiana. He’s also ranked as the No. 20 player in the country.

McKinley would be an immediate impact player for the Tigers

Looking ahead to 2024, there could be some significant holes to fill along the LSU football defensive line. Star defensive tackles Maason Smith and Mekhi Wingo are two of the best defensive linemen in the country and could be headed to the NFL following the 2023 season.

For fans of the program, this leaves room for concern, and for good reason. Still, Dominick McKinley has the size and talent to immediately alleviate some of those fears.

He has NFL size already heading into his senior year of high school. That alone is unheard of, but he also has pretty elite athleticism, even recording an interception this past season.

Carencro goes trickery on third down late in the first half.

And big Dominick McKinley has an interception and some bonus return yardage.

Hell of a half by Acadiana’s big 2024 defensive lineman, who already has a touchdown reception. pic.twitter.com/TuVwrduju4

— Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) October 28, 2022

If McKinley is to choose the Tigers, it would be wise to get him on the field sooner rather than later. Luckily, coach Kelly has shown little to no hesitation when it comes to playing true freshmen.

Just last season, linebacker Harold Perkins Jr, tight end Mason Taylor and tackle Will Campbell became stars in their first season with the program. Looking ahead, class of 2024 defensive lineman Dominick McKinley could be next in line.

The Tigers are currently projected to win over his commitment, as ON3 gives him an 82.5 percent chance of landing in Baton Rouge. It’ll be interesting to see if Brian Kelly can find a way to close the deal. Until the pen hits paper, anything is possible, but Tiger fans have plenty of reason to be excited about this recruitment.

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