LSU Football Lands Elite 2023 EDGE Jaxon Howard

The No. 1 prospect in Minnesota announced his commitment to the Tigers Friday evening, giving a huge boost to the 2023 class

The Tigers are beginning to see their recruiting efforts put in throughout June pay off, picking up a commitment from four-star EDGE Jaxon Howard Friday evening.

Howard becomes the seventh commit in the 2023 class after the Tigers welcomed three-star wide receiver Kyle Parker earlier this month. A Minneapolis, Minn. native, Howard is the No. 1 prospect in the state, with the Tigers swooping in to land him over Miami, Michigan and Minnesota.

BREAKING: Four-Star Edge Jaxon Howard has Committed to LSU!

The 6’4 245 Edge from Minneapolis, MN chose the Tigers over Miami, Michigan, and Minnesota.

Howard headlines LSU’s Top 25 Class 🐯https://t.co/hwloZKoc0V pic.twitter.com/Cq05SGXiRi

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 1, 2022

Defensive line coach Jamar Cain lands his first big fish in Howard, who is a physical, versatile defensive lineman. At 6-foot-4, 245-pounds, his frame is already that of a college athlete, but will continue building muscle and working on his technique to impact the next level.

Another key piece to Howard’s recruitment is his ability to play tight end. Displaying a two-way game, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Howard get some snaps at tight end. The Tigers have already landed four-star tight end Mac Markway, a Texas native, who became LSU’s first commit in the 2023 class earlier this year in March.

There’s no denying the work this coaching staff must continue putting in to build this class to the potential it’s capable of. After a month of June where LSU saw a number of prospects come to Baton Rouge on official visits, the commitment of Howard could jumpstart this class significantly.

"I'm not panicked by the fact that we only have a handful of commitments right now," recruiting coordinator Brian Polian said in April. "I think things will speed up here over the next four to six weeks. We're set up for some summer visits but I feel like we're on pace. The evaluation process has been really thorough and the coaches have been fantastic."

With seven spots filled, the Tigers focus will turn to filling positions of need over the next few months and evaluating the roster. LSU has a few targets set to announce their college decisions this weekend with a chance for this 2023 class to start taking shape.