Top recruit Lamar Brown delays signing with LSU amid coaching changes

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Lamar Brown, the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class, will not sign with LSU this week during the early signing period, sources confirmed to ESPN. The 6-foot-5 defensive tackle from Erwinville, Louisiana, is waiting for new head coach Lane Kiffin to finalize his coaching staff.

Brown, who is verbally committed to the Tigers, has been a crucial part of LSU’s recruiting efforts since he committed on July 10. As the early signing period begins on December 3, uncertainty looms over LSU as Kiffin works to assemble his new team. The decision comes after coach Brian Kelly was fired in October, raising questions about the program’s future.

In a recent meeting, Brown spoke with Kiffin shortly after the coach’s arrival on campus. Kiffin will be holding onto interim coach and defensive coordinator Frank Wilson through the bowl season, although Wilson’s long-term role remains unclear.

Brown’s decision to wait aligns with those of other key LSU recruits, including Richard Anderson, who is also reconsidering his commitment due to uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff. Anderson, the top defensive tackle in the country, has expressed concern about who his position coach will be.

As Kiffin builds his staff, he has already secured commitments from three players, two of whom previously pledged to Ole Miss. This comes as LSU’s recruiting class remains on the cusp of significant shifts with commitments and decommitments.

The early signing period for colleges runs from December 3 to 5, and LSU is looking to retain its top talents while attracting new ones. The program hopes that Brown will eventually sign, potentially becoming the first top recruit for the Tigers since Leonard Fournette in 2014.