LSU Set to Host Trio of IMG Academy Prospects This Weekend

Tigers dipping into the IMG Academy talent pool, hosting pair of 5-stars headlined by 2023 EDGE Samuel M'Pemba

Another week, another star-studded list of prospects set to hit campus this weekend. LSU continues their incredible stretch on the recruiting trail as they prepare to bring in a number of the top prospects in both the 2023 and 2024 classes for their matchup against Mississippi State. 

Yes, there will be a ton of elite talent visiting this weekend, but there are three that certainly stand out from the rest: IMG Academy prospects Desmond Ricks, Ellis Robinson IV and Samuel M’Pemba.

It’s no secret every top SEC program looks to dive into the IMG pipeline given they’re one of the top prep schools in the country, so for Brian Kelly and his staff to get the trio to campus this weekend is huge.

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Here’s a look at the three of them and what it means for this program to host them for a visit:

Desmond Ricks - Cornerback (5-star)

Desmond Ricks, the nation’s No. 2 overall player, included Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers in his top 10 over the summer and is already looking to get to campus for a game day. A 5-star prospect and the consensus top defensive player in his class, Ricks could jumpstart this 2024 class in a big way.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder plays his high school ball for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., one of the top programs in the country. Ricks has shown tremendous growth in his game since getting to IMG, consistently playing against blue-chip prospects.

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LSU has been on a tear in the recruiting game, reeling in a number of top defensive backs. The ability to develop the secondary and push out draft picks each year makes the Bayou Bengals a cornerbacks dream.

It’s important to note this will be Ricks’ third time on campus this year. The Tigers are clearly making an impression in his recruitment as he enters his junior year at IMG.

Ellis Robinson IV - Cornerback (4-star)

Robinson will join Ricks, his partner in crime, on a visit to LSU for the Mississippi State game this weekend. The Tigers are one of the 10 teams to make Robinson’s top schools list along with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, South Carolina and USC.

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Robinson is a consensus Top-10 prospect in the country and No. 2 cornerback in the 2024 class, only behind Ricks. It’s no secret LSU has coined the term “DBU” and hosting two of the top corners in the 2024 cycle could go a long way.

Kelly and the Tigers are dipping heavily into this 2024 class and it starts with the pair of IMG defensive backs. Already reeling in a few guys in that class, Robinson IV and Ricks could jumpstart it in a big way.

Samuel M’Pemba - EDGE (5-star)

The 2023 EDGE will join his IMG teammates for a visit to Death Valley this weekend despite LSU not being listed among his top seven schools earlier this summer. The group included Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon and Tennessee.

M’Pemba is also set to go on official visits to Georgia, Notre Dame and Oregon this fall as he winds down his recruitment. For the Tigers to host the elite EDGE alongside two of his teammates is a huge step in the right direction for LSU.

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Look for the Tigers to continue dipping into the IMG Academy talent pool. A school that attains some of the top guys in the country, this recruiting staff is clearly trending in the right direction after getting the trio down to Baton Rouge for the weekend.