LSU lands commitment from four-star DE Landyn Watson

Landyn Watson had been anxiously awaiting his first visit to Baton Rouge since early on the in the spring. He finally made it into town and fireworks ensued.

Watson, a four-star defensive end from Hutto (Texas) High School, committed to LSU after spending the day on campus. Ohio State, Washington, Oklahoma State and Notre Dame were some of the other notable colleges that Watson was also considering.

Watson is the first commitment for the Tigers in 2021 and a huge piece off the board from the Lone Star State, which has always been a major recruiting territory for LSU.

Watson's interest in LSU budded back in the spring when communication began between the rising junior defensive end and the coaches. On multiple occasions, Watson was scheduled to make the trek from Hutto to Baton Rouge, but the plans never materialized.

Watson had made trips all over the country this spring and summer -- from Alabama to Clemson to Oklahoma State and Ohio State -- before finally arriving at LSU on Monday. His first went checked off all the boxes and proved to be worth the long wait.

It remains early in Watson's recruitment and it's still a long way until National Signing Day in 2021, so LSU will have to stave off pushes from the Alabamas, Clemsons and Ohio States of the world over the next couple of months. It's also going to be worth watching if schools like Texas A&M and Texas -- which is situated 30 minutes away from Hutto High School -- opts to offer during or after his junior season.

"It was my first time in Louisiana, my first time at LSU and it was really eye-opening for me and for my family. We really enjoyed it. The coaches were awesome and the hospitality on campus was great, and so was the way the coaches want to utilize me."

"The biggest thing was that Coach O promised my parents that I would graduate. They also want to utilize me as a defensive end and an outside linebacker in different packages. In the 3-4, they want to use me as an outside linebacker, and in the 4-3 I'd be a 5 (technique) and rush the quarterback. It makes me feel really good because I'd have a lot of opportunities to see the field. One thing for me is that I want to see the field and they showed me how they want to utilize me and the different things to show me they want me to come and play there."

"For my parents, this was the first time they saw LSU. They didn't know about the LSU hype and they saw it today. They said they felt safe with me being out here."

"Coach O was very energetic. If he wasn't energetic, then he wouldn't have been happy to see me. He's a good guy and I trust him not to lie. He tells the truth and I can see him being like a father figure to me."

"I'm ready to make this decision because I want to focus on high school football and my education and not about college football recruiting. My mom always told me if I had a gut feeling to follow it, and I've always had a gut feeling about LSU, so I figured let's make it permanent. One thing about LSU that was gonna be big for my commitment is where I go and where I'm prioritized. I felt prioritized at LSU and they really want me here and that made me want to be a Tiger."

Watson is an early four-star in the initial Rivals rankings for the Class of 2021 and a projected member of the Rivals250 for the class, which will be unveiled later on this summer.

As a sophomore in 2018, the 6-foot-2, 226-pounder posted ridiculous statistics for Hutto. Watson amassed 55 tackles, including 20 behind the line of scrimmage, to go along with 7.5 sacks and a forced fumble. That production came with Watson lining up primarily as a 4- and 5-technique in a three-man front, which is where he is projected to slide in at LSU as well.

Watson generally lines up as a 4-tech but will slide to the outside of the tackle in designed pass-rush situations. He plays with a tireless motor and constantly collapses the pocket on running plays and passing situations. He plays with a ton of leverage and has a fantastic blend of both speed and raw power for the position.

Watson makes a good deal of plays at the line due to his lateral quickness -- even if he's on the other side of the ball. He also makes tackles for loss a habit because of his ability to break down and tackle and remain disciplined in his pursuit.

As a pass-rusher, Watson has violent hands and pairs that with raw strength and an explosive burst off the ball. On tape, he's beaten double teams with ease. Watson will need to improve on his ability to shed offensive tackles and add more moves to his arsenal, but he naturally is more athletic than most tackles and it shows. He's extremely flexible to bend around the edge and he displays impressive closing speed when getting after the quarterback.

At LSU, Watson will be transformed into a stand-up outside linebacker with some reps with his hand in the dirt in four-man defensive fronts. His natural burst off the ball, raw power, flexibility and speed will translate well to each of those roles and he has plenty of upside as he continues to add new tools to his game.