Meet LSU’s Latest Additions: Wide Receivers

Last week, I talked about the future of LSU at quarterback and running back. Now, I will talk about what has always been a very popular position in Baton Rouge and that is the wide receiver position.

With a bunch of NFL superstars coming through the program, it is safe to say that Tiger fans are always looking at who will be the next great receiver at LSU and based on the talent from this year’s signing class, it is safe to say that there a lot of great candidates to be the Tiger’s next superstar playmaker.

First, there is Gulliver Prep five-star wide receiver Jalen Brown, who brings game changing speed to the table and gives the Tigers somebody that can blow the top off a defense with 10.6 100-meter speed. He finished his high school prep career with 111 catches for 2,396 yards and 25 touchdowns.

There is no question that Brown has the speed to score any given play but needs to add weight to his 6’0 frame as he is only 165 pounds. Still, if he can do that, Brown may become one of the SEC’s most feared receivers. Rated as the number 11 receiver in the country, the Miami, Florida native chose the Tigers over Miami and Michigan.

What helped Brown make his decision to choose LSU over his hometown school was the relationship that he built with LSU head coach Brian Kelly when he was recruiting him at Notre Dame and LSU wide receiver coach Cortez Hankton when he was recruiting him at Georgia. Brown committed to LSU in early July and helped set the trend for LSU to be a top five class as another five-star wide receiver decided to commit to Brian Kelly’s squad.

After Brown made his commitment, Catholic High School (B.R.) five-star wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. made the announcement that he was staying home and playing for LSU. Ranked as a top five receiver in the country by multiple recruiting sites, Sampson Jr. is an athletic phenom that is 6’3, 190 pounds and has 4.35/40 speed.

LSU 5-star WR Shelton Sampson was dominant at Catholic High School breaking program records in catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. (Photo taken by Billy Metcalf)

With his combination of size and speed, Sampson has all the makings of a future super star. Sampson is the son of former Redemptorist High School and Northwestern State running back Shelton Sampson Sr., but he took his athletic bloodlines and used them as a wide receiver.

The two-time All-State receiver selection ended his prep career as the best receiver in Catholic High School history with a program record 140 catches for 2,495 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also was a part of one of the program’s greatest four year runs by winning two state championships, two district championships, and appearing in three state championship games. The second-generation player chose the Tigers over Florida State, Texas A&M, and Alabama. The Tigers could once again have a great 1-2 punch at receiver featuring Brown and Sampson.

There is also some quality high school talent besides the two five stars that makes this a deep group. From the state of Texas, there is Lovejoy High School four-star wide receiver Kyle Parker. The Allen, Texas native grew up a big LSU fan and now, he is going to suit up for the Purple and Gold. He did get some push in recruiting from the likes of Oklahoma State and Louisville, but Parker was always sold on playing in Baton Rouge.

The two-time 1st Team All-District selection ended his high school career with a great statistical season of 1,514 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns including a record-breaking performance earlier this season when he had a staggering 23 catches for 341 yards and three touchdowns against Argyle Kyle. At 5’11, 180 pounds, Parker has great quickness and could be a great option in the slot.

The fourth wide receiver LSU signed from the high school class is another player that is staying in his home state and that is St. James High School wide receiver Khai Prean. The four-star receiver originally started his prep career at Ascension Catholic where was a touchdown machine scoring 45 touchdowns in three seasons before transferring to St. James.

Prior to his senior season, Prean became the fourth Louisiana native to commit to the Tigers in the matter of only two weeks. The number 18 receiver in the nation chose LSU over Mississippi State, Auburn, and Florida State. In his senior season, Prean made All-State honors by having 61 catches for 1,097 yards and 14 touchdowns.

LSU wide receiver Khai Prean was a playmaker during his high school career. (Photo taken by Jason Saucier)

The Tigers have picked up four talented freshman receivers, but they also added a huge pickup through the transfer portal in former Alabama wide receiver Aaron Anderson.

The former five-star prospect from Edna Karr High School in New Orleans, Louisiana has come back to his home state after originally signing to play for the Crimson Tide. Now, he will join their rivals in the SEC West and potentially become not only one of the Tigers’ most explosive receivers, but also a possible primary option on special teams in the return game.

As a four-year starter for one of Louisiana’s powerhouse football programs, Anderson was a human highlight reel accounting for 6,000 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns on special teams returns. Anderson, who was once an LSU commit, flipped his commitment and chose to play for Alabama, but injuries last season limited him to playing one game in Tuscaloosa. At the conclusion of the season, Anderson put his name in the transfer portal and less than a week later, announced that he would transfer to play at LSU.

Landing Anderson was an absolute home run in the transfer portal for Brian Kelly’s staff as Anderson is certainly a player that could hit the home run on any given play.

The wide receiver position is already a strong group with proven players like Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. returning but adding a couple of five stars and a dynamic player from the transfer portal will only make this an elite receiving core in the long run.

To read more about the future Tigers, check out the rest of our “Meet LSU’s Latest Additions” articles below. Next up, I will talk about the newest tight ends to join the Tigers.