NEWS: Daylen Austin Flips Commitment From LSU to Oregon

Tigers lose out on the Austin sweepstakes, longtime commit signs elsewhere.

Former LSU commit Daylen Austin has flipped to Oregon. The 4-star defensive back had been trending in that direction over the last 90 days and ultimately locked it in on Early Signing Day.

Despite Austin’s departure, this LSU program has reeled in an incredible amount of talent on Day 1 of the signing period.

pic.twitter.com/6SCw76XmoO

— DAYLEN AUSTIN 🦇 (@DaylenAustin4) December 21, 2022

We wrote about Austin trending elsewhere earlier this month:

LSU reeled in an important commitment when 4-star cornerback Daylen Austin announced his pledge in May, but this program will have a few schools pushing for one of their coveted commitments.

Austin, a Long Beach, Calif. native, is fresh off of a visit to Oregon, taking in the atmosphere while remaining pledged to the Tigers. The shutdown cornerback has taken his senior year by storm with many preparing to see his ranking continue rising before it’s all said and done.

Depth in the secondary is of the utmost importance when it comes to this 2023 recruiting class, which makes Austin’s commitment that much more valuable. For the Tigers, it’s imperative they keep their foot on the gas for him.

Austin’s relationship with Brian Kelly is what drew him to Baton Rouge, stating that is one of the main factors in what led him to commit to LSU.

"Brian Kelly moved from Notre Dame and he had already recruited me when he was up at Notre Dame," Austin told SI All-American. "And then Coach (Robert) Steeples, he started recruiting me as soon as he got there."

"I knew they wanted me and when I got up there I felt the vibe," he recalled of his visit to Baton Rouge earlier this year. "Just the history behind LSU, the culture and everything. They already got the name 'DBU.’ Even though Corey Raymond still left they're still gonna be on a pedestal. I already pictured myself playing in the SEC."

Schools specifically recruiting Austin are Michigan State, Penn State, Oklahoma and Oregon. Austin has already been to Michigan State, growing a close relationship with them due to his uncle being close with head coach Mel Tucker, but Austin plans to take a few more visits as well this fall.

But don’t sleep on Oregon coming in. The Ducks have been pushing for Austin for months, and with his senior year coming to a close, it appears to be a tight race between LSU and Oregon.

Head Coach Dan Lanning's “genuine approach” is something that has his attention.

"Coach Lanning, he's a real guy. I could call him whenever, I could FaceTime him and he'll pick up, so I like that about them too,” Austin told Ducks Digest.

Along with Lanning, the Ducks’ top commits have been reaching out to him on a regular basis, specifically 4-star cornerback Cole Martin.

"Yeah Cole (Martin) was trying to tell me that Oregon was home. He was sitting next to me during the game," Austin said. "I'm listening to him a little bit. I'm just listening to what he has to say, what he's taking from it."

As Austin’s recruitment winds down, LSU will have some competition. A player who is signing early, the Tigers have work to do when it comes to fighting off Oregon, Michigan State and USC.