Brian Kelly's LSU make massive splash in recruitment to help QB Garrett Nussmeier

It seems that the LSU Tigers have beaten the Tennessee Volunteers in the recruitment process to get Tristen Keys. According to On3, the highly coveted five-star recruit has committed to the Baton Rouge school, beating the Volunteers in the race.

Tennessee was expected to get the top wide receiver recruit in the Class of 2026, with Keys having recently visited Knoxville. Other schools that were in the running were Miami, Texas A&M, Alabama and Auburn.

Speaking with On3, the wide receiver said the following about LSU prior to his commitment:

“LSU has produced a lot of top receivers and I see them at WRU, I talk to coach (Cortez) Hankton a lot and it is a place I am very familiar with. I want to keep building my bond with them.”

The commitment is an important early win for Brian Kelly's efforts surrounding the Class of 2026. Tristen Keys is the fourth commit for LSU in the Class of 2026 and the first out-of-state. In his junior year at Hattiesburg High School in Mississippi, Keys recorded 40 passes caught for 839 yards with 12 touchdown receptions.

Why did Tristen Keys pick LSU over the likes of Tennessee and Alabama?

It also seems that Keys sees LSU not only as a place in which he will be successful athletically but also business-wise. Speaking with 247Sports after his decision was announced, Keys highlighted the level of personal success LSU Tigers can have outside sports:

"It was the best place for me to get to the next level in life and football, even if football doesn't work out. I'll be successful in life just by going to LSU. You see Angel Reese, you see Malik Nabors, you see Jetta, you see Shaq, all of them. They are known for going to LSU. They develop you in every way possible."

This showcases a recruiting strength for LSU: It's known for helping develop players into celebrities through a strong NIL game. Keys didn't even point to the most successful Tiger of them all, outside sports that is: Livvy Dunne.

The Lady Tigers gymnast is currently the student-athlete with the fourth-best valuation in all the college sports. She sits at $4.1 million in NIL deals according to On3.