Recruiting expert predicts elite class of 2025 edge rusher to LSU football

Following a big-time visit weekend for coach Brian Kelly and LSU football, the Tigers received some exciting news, as Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports put out an expert prediction for four-star class of 2025 edge rusher Damien Shanklin to eventually end up with the purple and gold.

Elite class of 2025 edge rusher Damien Shanklin trending towards LSU football following visit

Rated as the No. 48 player nationally, according to 247Sports, as well as No. 5 at his position, class of 2025 edge rusher Damien Shanklin understandably has the attention of some of the top programs in all of college football.

In turn, it should come as no surprise that coach Brian Kelly and LSU football have been among his top suitors, and it appears to be paying off after a most recent visit over the weekend.

Immediately following his trip from Indianapolis, IN, down to Baton Rouge, LA, Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports went ahead and put out an expert prediction for the four-star defender to eventually end up with the purple and gold, showing that things might have gone better than expected during the visit.

FONG BOMB: On3’s @SWiltfong_ has logged an expert prediction for LSU to land 4-star EDGE Damien Shanklin🐯

Intel: https://t.co/G99w6TehA5 pic.twitter.com/y7rjyzkYrr

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) June 3, 2024

Standing at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Shanklin possesses a rare combination of size, speed and power, indicating why he’s currently rated so highly across the board. If anything, he might actually be slightly underrated.

As a junior, the Warren Central High School standout put on a show for the entire state of Indiana, recording 66 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception. In short, he’s an elite playmaker and could come in as an immediate impact player for LSU football if they manage to land his eventual commitment.

While a 60 percent confidence prediction doesn’t exactly guarantee a future pledge for the Tigers, it certainly implies that things are at the very least trending in a positive direction with their efforts to improve recruiting on the defensive side of the ball.

As we stand today, the program has just three defensive commitments out of their 11 class of 2025 pledges (four-star linebacker Charles Ross, four-star cornerback Jaboree Antoine and four-star linebacker Keylan Moses). While this is undoubtedly a fantastic sign for offense and putting points on the board in the near future, defense has been a major concern over the last two seasons. At this point, any positive momentum in recruiting that side of the ball is a welcome addition for a revamped defensive coaching staff led by defensive coordinator Blake Baker.

Lucky for Tiger fans, coach Brian Kelly and his entire coaching staff has been in on several of the top defenders in the class of 2025. Even if they manage to land to just a fraction of their targets, it could mean big things for the future of purple and gold defense and would likely only further add to the list of positive additions for the program on that side of the ball.

Thank you for reading LSU Glory. For more LSU Glory content, covering all things LSU athletics, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at lsuglory.fr@gmail.com or direct message us on our Twitter account. It is thanks to your support that we can continue to grow into one of the fastest-growing and most influential LSU media outlets there is.