The biggest recruiting battle in Louisiana may be nearing its finish line, but the latest signs aren’t all pointing towards Baton Rouge.
Five-star wide receiver Easton Royal, the Brother Martin standout and Texas commit, told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman that he could see himself playing at Florida after visiting this weekend, and that he’s very close to making his final decision. At the same time, Royal had strong words for the program he’s already committed to, praising the Longhorns’ explosive offense and saying Texas “just continues to show me why I made the right decision last November.”
That’s a big difference in tone from earlier in the summer, when the momentum was firmly with LSU after he was predicted to end up in Baton Rouge. In July, Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong logged an expert prediction for Royal to flip from Texas to LSU, and Royal himself said after his official visit that the Tigers had made a significant jump and were very close to Texas. Now, the flip no longer feels nearly as certain as it did a couple of months ago.
LSU hasn’t let up. Royal was in Death Valley for the Clemson opener, and he’s scheduled to return November 14th, when LSU hosts Texas. It’s a visit that could carry enormous weight if he hasn’t made a decision by then. Lane Kiffin, Ed Orgeron and the staff have made keeping the state’s top prospects home a priority since day one.
The stakes are clear. Royal is the No. 1 receiver in the 2027 class, a top five national prospect, and the top recruit in Louisiana. No matter what he announces, nothing is final until he signs in December.
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— Eric Palmer, TigerSources