Mid-South recruiting analyst Marshall Levenson talks about Ohio State hitting the Lone Star State for DBs, Texas A&M's recent hire and how LSU coach Brian Kelly is recruiting the state of Louisiana.
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1. Ohio State trying to raid Texas for DB’s
Taking a look at where the 2025 recruiting classes stand right now, it looks like LSU and Ohio State will battle for the top spot if they continue on their current paths. Taking a closer look at Ohio State’s recruiting efforts, they have some clear goals, one of which is to raid Texas of its top defensive backs.
The Buckeyes already hold the commitment of Texas’ No. 2 prospect, five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez.
Also atop the board for the Buckeyes in the 2025 class is five-star safety Jonah Williams out of Galveston Ball. Williams is the No. 1 safety in the class and Ohio State is among the top contenders. Also in Texas is the No. 5 cornerback in the class, Dorian Brew out of Conroe. Brew currently has three FutureCasts logged in favor of Ohio State. The Buckeyes will look to try and persuade these players, all with Houston-area ties, to play together in Columbus.
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2. Texas A&M nailed hire of Joe Hamilton
Just over two weeks ago, Texas A&M hired Florida’s director of scouting and recruiting relations/NFL liaison, Joe Hamilton. He has since been named assistant recruiting general manager.
Hamilton is the primary reason why Florida had established a bit of a run on recruiting in Texas. The prized jewel of Florida’s 2024 class, five-star quarterback DJ Lagway, has publicly credited Hamilton as a major reason on why he chose the Gators.
With Hamilton now on staff at Texas A&M, he should be able to flex his recruiting muscles in the state where he grew up and played (Texas State).
Mike Elko has done a good job of putting together his initial staff in College Station and Hamilton will likely prove to be one of the top hires on staff.
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3. Brian Kelly has embraced the in-state needs
When Brian Kelly made the move from Notre Dame to LSU in 2022, there were many questions about whether Kelly would be able to recruit the state of Louisiana. Many believed he would not be able to relate to the Southern culture and convince kids and their families that LSU was the best option for them.
Those worries were heightened when Kelly’s 2023 signing class was compiled of just 38% in-state prospects. Only four of the top 10 prospects in the state signed with LSU, which is a major red flag for Tigers' fans, considering the talent available in the state on a yearly basis. This is especially true when those prospects are going to schools such as Alabama and Texas, who the Tigers face off against in the SEC.
However, just how Kelly has found his stride on the field in Baton Rouge, he has done the same in recruiting. The 2024 class saw a much better return with nine of the top 10 prospects in the state signing with LSU. Kelly was also able to raise the percentage of the class to 66% in-state signees in a signing class of 29 players.
The trend has gotten even stronger for Kelly in the 2025 class as the current class of 10 commitments sits at 70% in-state kids. All of the committed prospects in Louisiana's top 10 (five players total) have pledged to LSU. This includes the state’s top four prospects in Harlem Berry, Jaboree Antoine, Keylan Moses and Devin Harper.
RELATED: Louisiana's 2025 state rankings
