LSU Country

LSU Football Heavily Pursuing Texas Edge Rusher, Named a Finalist for Priority Target

Brian Kelly and the Bayou Bengals heavily pursuing the prized Lone Star State EDGE, named a finalist on Thursday.

Zack Nagy

Courtesy of KJ Ford's X/Twitter: @KJ4ord.
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Duncanville (Tex.) four-star edge rusher KJ Ford has trimmed his list of potential college destinations after revealing 12 finalists on Thursday.

Ford, one of the top defensive ends in America, is fresh off of an impressive junior campaign with one of the top prep squads in the nation.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder has seen his recruitment blossom over the last two years with the Lone Star State defensive piece beginning to lock in on his process.

Now, he's down to 12 schools, Ford told On3 Sports: The LSU Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas A&M Aggies, Penn State Nittany Lions, Ohio State Buckeyes, Ole Miss Rebels, Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Missouri Tigers and USC Trojans.

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers will have their work cut out for them in Ford's recruitment with both in-state schools, Texas A&M and Texas, swinging for the fences. The USC Trojans are also a program in the mix.

Ford is a quick, twitchy edge rusher that uses his physical size well to wreak havoc in the backfield. The "Who's Who" of college football has been in touch with the coveted prospect for years with his process beginning to dwindle down ahead of his senior campaign.

Kelly and the LSU Tigers have had success in the border state of Texas as of late with the program once again looking to make noise with a quarterback target.

The Texas QB Target: Bowe Bentley

Celina (Tex.) four-star quarterback Bowe Bentley is fresh off of a visit to Baton Rouge last weekend after taking in the program's Spring Camp practice on Saturday.

Bentley, who's now rated as a Top-5 signal-caller in America, is in the midst of an impressive offseason with Brian Kelly's staff turning up the heat.

The fast-rising prospect out of the Lone Star State has been on a hot streak as of late after reeling in scholarships from a myriad of programs including Florida State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas Tech.

Bentley is coming off of a dominant junior season where he began gaining national recognition as one of the top quarterbacks in Texas.

He's now seen his ranking skyrocket to the No. 5 overall quarterback in America, according to On3 Sports' latest recruiting rankings update.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder torched defenses after logging 3,330 yards passing and 47 touchdowns while completing 70 percent of his throws in 2024.

He added another 933 yards rushing and 16 more scores on his way to leading his prep squad to a state championship.

Now, Bentley's hot streak continues with the LSU Tigers entering the mix after extending an offer in early February.

After his trip to LSU, Bentley is feeling like a priority by the Tigers with the program putting a full-court press on the fast-rising signal-caller.

LSU did not take a quarterback in the 2025 Recruiting Cycle after Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 player in America, flipped his commitment to the Michigan Wolverines.

Now, the program is ramping up its push for a talented player under center in next year's recruiting cycle.

The Texas native has checked in with Oklahoma and LSU thus far during the spring with a trio of unofficial visits left to Ohio State [March 19], Florida State [March 22] and Georgia Tech [March 29].

It's a significant stretch in Bentley's recruitment as he begins navigating finalists while setting up an official visit schedule for the summer.

More LSU News:

Three LSU Targets to Know: Louisiana Prospects the Tigers "Must" Land

The Buzz: Latest on the No. 1 Safety in America, Five-Star LSU Target

Prized LSU Commitment '100%' Locked in with the Tigers

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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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