2026 class recruit Matt Ludwig confirms receiving offer from Brian Kelly's LSU

Four-star athlete Matt Ludwig from Billings West High School in Montana has shown his ability to play multiple positions, including tight end, linebacker and even quarterback. His recruitment journey has taken off massively this year after an outstanding sophomore season.

In 2023, Ludwig was named an AA all-state selection, becoming one of just four sophomores from the Eastern AA division to receive such an honor. His performance on the field has caught the attention of college programs nationwide, and his offer list has skyrocketed to over 20 schools.

The latest offer for Ludwig came from coach Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers, with tight ends coach Slade Nagle reaching out personally to extend the scholarship. On Tuesday, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound prospect shared the news on X, tagging Kelly, Nagle and some of his high school coaches.

"After a great conversation with @Coach_Nagle I am blessed receive an offer to @LSUfootball @CoachBrianKelly @RobStantonr @CoachDanWatson @KaneClaunch @BWestFball," Ludwig wrote.

Matt Ludwig is ranked by On3 as the No. 200 overall prospect in the nation, the No. 15 athlete in the 2026 class and the No. 1 in Montana. 247Sports places him as the No. 21 athlete in the class and the No. 1 in the state.

If LSU can land Ludwig, it will be a huge boost to its 2026 recruiting class, which is already highly ranked at No. 9 nationally and No. 5 in the Southeastern Conference. The class features four committed players: safety Aiden Hall, defensive lineman Richard Anderson, safety Jakai Anderson and interior offensive lineman Jalan Chapman.

Nebraska leads the race for Matt Ludwig's commitment

Matt Ludwig has been making the rounds in his recruitment process by visiting several high-profile schools, including Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Georgia and Texas Tech. However, he does not plan to make his final decision until next summer.

Nebraska appears to be the frontrunner to land Ludwig's commitment. According to 247Sports, the publication’s crystal ball predictions favor the Huskers, and the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Nebraska an overwhelming 94.8% chance of securing him.

The prospect was in Lincoln, Nebraska, for a gameday visit during the Huskers' 34-3 win over Northern Iowa on Sept. 14.

"The visit was really good," Ludwig told 247 Sports. "I really noticed the culture of the team that is being built at Nebraska."

Nebraska earned a commitment in its 2026 class last month: three-star quarterback Dayton Raiola, who is the younger brother of Huskers quarterback Dylan Raiola.

Meanwhile, other schools, such as Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Michigan, are still in the race for Matt Ludwig. But each of these programs currently has less than a 1% chance of landing his commitment, as Nebraska’s lead seems solid for the moment.