LSU Trend Meter: Caden Durham, Ory Williams and more

The LSU football staff is heating up on the recruiting trail, but which top recruits are starting to trend towards committing to the Tigers?

LSU landed a big in-state commitment on Saturday when Louisiana four-star linebacker Tylen Singleton announced his decision to join the 2024 class in Baton Rouge.

With LSU’s Bayou Splash recruiting event set for Friday, and the NCAA’s seven-day contact period beginning on Tuesday, it’s crunch time in recruiting for teams across college football.

Here’s a closer look at where things are trending for six uncommitted recruits on LSU’s board.

Ory Williams – OT

Ory Williams has been sitting atop LSU’s wish list at offensive tackle since he picked up an offer in April 2022. More than a year later, Williams is inching closer to revealing his college choice. Williams is set to visit LSU for Friday’s Bayou Splash, and the Tigers hold the On3 RPM lead (79%) following his official visit to Baton Rouge in June. There was buzz Williams might also visit Florida for the program’s “Grill in the Ville” recruiting event on Saturday. The Gators are considered the sleeper team in the race, but sources around LSU’s program remain confident the Tigers are still pacing ahead of Texas, Texas A&M and the Gators. At this stage, Williams could reveal his college choice at any point. We’re sticking with LSU as the team to beat.

Caden Durham – RB

Caden Durham will be in attendance at LSU’s Bayou Splash recruiting event on Friday. That’s big news given he will announce his college choice on August 25. The NCAA’s dead period comes to an end this week, and the quiet period runs from Tuesday, July 25 through Monday, July 31. During the seven-day quiet period, recruits can visit a college campus and meet with coaches face-to-face. Durham gave LSU his final visit in June, and now he’s set to return to campus for the Bayou Splash event. If he doesn’t step foot on another program’s campus, most notably Oklahoma, the Tigers will have landed the final two campus visits before Durham reveals his commitment. LSU’s made Durham the lone running back target in the 2024 class, and while Oklahoma holds the On3 RPM lead, it’s tough to not circle the Tigers as the team that’s trending.

Cai Bates – CB

Cai Bates has a decision date set for Wednesday, June 26. Entering the month of June, LSU was the team out front in the race. Then came four official visits and an unofficial visit, with not just LSU getting Bates on campus, but also Tennessee, Alabama, Florida State and Ohio State. Bates used the month of July to talk over his decision with family and coaches, and now we’re 48 hours out from the four-star cornerback revealing his choice. I think the Volunteers made a big splash in June and into July, but I also think the LSU staff has proven they can close on targets they’ve once been considered the leader for. The Volunteers have garnered serious buzz this summer, but don’t sleep on the work the Tigers did across his entire recruitment process. Now, it’s about closing. This one is will be closer than most think, and it’s likely both the Volunteers and Tigers enter the week with some confidence they can pull it off.

Jelani Watkins – WR

Jelani Watkins remains a heavy lean to LSU on the On3 RPM, but where do things currently stand behind the scenes? Texas A&M is the lone team left battling the Tigers, and the Aggies are pushing to get Watkins to visit this week. The Tigers landed the lone official visit he’s made, and sources feel there’s a good chance Watkins will be in Baton Rouge on Friday for LSU’s recruiting event. Whether he travels to Texas A&M at any point during the seven-day open window for visits remains to be seen, but it’s worth monitoring. With his college announcement coming soon, LSU is still the team trending for the Louisiana native turned Texas four-star wide receiver.

Blake Ivy – OT

Blake Ivy has long been considered a lean to Texas A&M, and the Aggies hold the lead on the On3 RPM. That said, there’s some growing optimism on LSU’s end that the four-star offensive tackle could be in Baton Rouge on Friday for the Bayou Splash. Texas A&M and Texas are the top competition, and both programs are fighting to get Ivy to make a visit to their campus this weekend. When it comes to tracking which prospects take in visits to which schools over the next week, Ivy is high on the watch list – and that goes for a trio of schools. LSU, Texas and Texas A&M all landed official visits in June. Now, it’s about which school gets across the finish line first. Ivy is expected to announce a decision ahead of his senior season this fall, meaning this next week of in-person contact with college coaches is even more key. At this point, it’s fair to say things are cloudy in regards to who might come out ahead from the week. LSU isn’t out of this as Ivy gets closer to making his decision.

Devin Smith – LB

LSU just landed another linebacker commit from Tylen Singleton, and now another linebacker in Devin Smith is set to be on campus this weekend for the Bayou Splash. The Georgia linebacker has an offer from the Tigers, and LSU landed in his recent top five, a list that also included Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky and South Carolina. Unlike most prospects left on LSU’s board, Smith has yet to make any official visits. He took in LSU’s Spring Game in April, and now Smith is returning to campus for the Bayou Splash. LSU has linebacker commitments in from Singleton, Davhon Keys, Xavier Atkins and Kolaj Cobbins, who could slot into the defense at the JACK linebacker position. It’s a solid linebacker haul for defensive coordinator Matt House, but it’s clear the staff still has eyes on Smith given he’s set to visit campus this weekend. With no decision date set, and official visits potentially to come, the Tigers could turn into the team trending if Smith gives LSU his lone campus visit this week.

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