LSU Country

Louisiana Prospects Trimming Lists, Making Commitments Soon

LSU in pursuit of state's top players on the market headlined by five-stars Shelton Sampson Jr. and Zalance Heard

Zack Nagy

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The 2023 LSU recruiting class has the chance to grow in a big way over the course of the next few weeks. With a few college announcements lingering, mainly with in-state prospects, the Tigers class can explode.

Headlined by five-star wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. making his announcement in the next few days, we could see this class make a significant jump in the overall rankings.

Here are a few key names to keep an eye on in the month of August:

Shelton Sampson Jr. - August 6th Announcement

Sampson Jr., a top-five wide receiver in the country, has taken visits to LSU, Florida State and Texas A%M recently, with the Tigers heavily in the mix. To secure Sampson Jr. would be a major boost for this recruiting class and a major in-state win.

The Baton Rouge product is right down the road from Death Valley and the Tigers have been pushing for the state’s No. 3 prospect for quite some time. LSU has been recruiting him since Day 1, constantly rooting for him to suit up in the purple and gold.

LSU has all the momentum in this one and would certainly slow down questions regarding Kelly’s ability to recruit in-state. In previous years we have seen the state’s top wideouts go elsewhere, so to keep Sampson Jr. in Baton Rouge would be the cherry on top to an elite 2023 class.

Related: Five-Star Wide Receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. Announces Commitment Date 

Kylin Jackson - August 8th Announcement

The high four-star safety and Zachary native took a visit to LSU last weekend as he gets a better feel for this 2023 class. Developing a relationship with the coaching staff already, LSU appears to be in the lead with Jackson’s recruitment, but it’ll take time to seal the deal with an announcement coming next week.

A standout from Zachary High School, Jackson is a pure athlete who could provide the Tigers with another versatile player in an already stacked 2023 class. With a myriad of commits on campus last weekend, it gave them the opportunity to talk business with Jackson.

Related: Five-Star Phenom Locks in LSU Official Visit 

Khai Prean - Announcement TBA

After earning an LSU offer in late March, this program has had their foot on the gas to land one of the state’s most gifted athletes. A versatile, do-it-all player, the addition of Prean would give the Tigers a true speedster.

Related: Impact of Social Media on Recruiting Trail, Strategy Going Forward 

The 6-foot, 188-pounder has offers from all over the country with Auburn specifically recruiting him just as hard, but LSU appears to be gaining some traction. With Prean utilizing his gifts with the ball in his hands to the highest degree, it could be a huge signing to keep the Louisiana product close to home and suit up for the Tigers.

Zalance Heard - TBA Announcement

Heard has been a name the LSU community is beginning to know very well. With the Tigers in an all out pursuit for the in-state recruit, he’s a prospect who is of the highest priority for head coach Brian Kelly and his staff.

The No. 1 offensive lineman in the state of Louisiana, Heard has received significant buzz to LSU. A former teammate of current LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell, Heard could help this 2023 class significantly.

Already having a relationship with Campbell and a few of the guys on LSU’s roster, not to mention his growing relationship with offensive line coach Brad Davis, Heard appears to be an LSU lean right now. It will take time to seal the deal, but the Tigers are in great position with this one.

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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