LSU gained some momentum on the recruiting track Friday night as four-star edge-rusher Jaxon Howard selected the Tigers over a group of finalists that included Miami, Michigan and Minnesota live on CBS Sports HQ.
As the best-rated commit in LSU’s 2023 recruiting class, Howard gives an instant boost to the recruiting rankings for a Tigers class that started the day as No. 48 in the country and No. 8 in the SEC.
As a prospect, Howard ranks No. 96 overall in the 247Sports Composite and checks in as the No. 11 edge rusher in the 2023 class. Minneapolis natives also rank as the best prospect in the state, giving Brian Kelly a remarkable recruiting victory over people like Michigan and Minnesota in the Big Ten footprint. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Howard is a multi-sport athlete who also plays baseball and participates in the track team throwing shot put and discus. 247Sports recruiting analyst Allen Trieu writes that Howard “has an ideal frame” for the defensive line and “looks physically ready to compete early in his career.” More from his scout report:
Has been recruited as both tight end and defensive lineman and has played both positions at the high school level. As his body continues to grow and develop, we lean more toward defense in college. He has an ideal framework for that position. He has filled out and looks physically ready to compete early in his career. He shows some twitching and ability to get away from the ball in defense and pursues hard. On the offensive, he is a good route runner and can also make a little happen after the catch. As it stands, we think he is a Power Five prospect in both positions, but he is perhaps more of a rarer specimen in defense. We believe he can be a combo inside-outside player on the defensive line.
Even the short time Brian Kelly has been LSU’s head coach should tell us that this is only the beginning of the Tigers continuing to improve the quantity and quality of their recruiting class in 2023. The transition from Ed Orgeron to Kelly included a significant amount of revenue on the list, but LSU staff closed strongly on the track and worked on the transfer portal to complete the 2022 cycle ranked No. 12 in the country and No. 3 in the SEC.
