Brian Kelly's LSU receives commitment of elite wide receiver to the Class of 2026

Three-star wide receiver Kenny Darby committed to LSU's 2026 class on Tuesday. He was in attendance during the Tigers' 42-13 loss to Alabama on Saturday and added an offer from Brian Kelly's program prior to the game.

“The stadium and environment was still fantastic. The energy was crazy. I definitely love the energy and crowd," Darby told On3 about the game-day visit.

Saturday's game was Darby's first visit to LSU since he camped at the school over the summer, and it took him less than a week to give his pledge. The Tigers co-offensive coordinator and wide receiver coach, Cortez Hankton, was the lead recruiter.

Darby was initially committed to Mississippi State in June but backed off his pledge earlier this month. He plays for Airline High School in Bossier City, Louisiana. The WR has caught 80 passes for 1,489 yards and 22 touchdowns in 10 games of the season.

Kenny Darby is ranked as the No. 450 overall prospect in the nation, the No. 71 wide receiver in the 2026 class and the No. 12 recruit in Louisiana by the On3 Industry Rankings.

Kenny Darby opened up about his commitment to LSU

Kenny Darby has received nearly 20 offers, but LSU’s status as an in-state powerhouse ultimately set it apart. Speaking with 247Sports national recruiting analyst Tom Loy, he opened up about his commitment to the Tigers, saying:

"It's always been a dream. I'm going to make the quarterback's job easier."

LSU’s reputation as a powerhouse in the Southeastern Conference, along with its national championship history and state-of-the-art facilities, made a strong impression on Darby. Besides that, he also liked the Tigers' way of making him special.

“I committed to LSU because they showed me mad love," Darby told On3. "I want to be a part of that and they put wide receivers in the draft every year. They develop receivers and they are WRU. I feel like I can have a lot of success at LSU and I feel like I fit the mode of an LSU wide receiver.”

Darby is LSU’s 5th commitment for the 2026 cycle, which ranks No. 8 in the nation and No. 4 in the SEC. He joins four-star prospect Jakai Anderson in the wide receiver room. The Tigers would love to add four-star wide receiver Jabari Mack as well. He is an in-state target, and LSU has a 92.2% chance of receiving his commitment.