By Chris Marler
It feels like there are a million things LSU is trying to stay on top of right now. After one of the most chaotic couple of weeks in the program in quite some time, the program seems to be inching closer to stability.
At other times it feels like that gif where someone is trying to squeegee a beach.
A few of the boxes are starting to get checked. New president? Check. New athletic director? Check. Then unchecked briefly. Then checked again.
The timetable for a new head coach may not be anywhere near on the horizon. In the meantime it feels like this program needs a win, and not just against Arkansas on Saturday. Maybe that win is in recruiting, and if so, making Elijah Haven a priority needs to be near the top of the list.
Haven is one of nine players in the 2027 class that has already garnered a fifth star from the 247Sports Composite. He’s a local product from Baton Rouge, but as of right now he’s an overwhelming favorite to land at Alabama.
That can’t happen.
Haven released his top three schools earlier this Fall that included LSU, Alabama, and Florida. As of today, Alabama is the leader and the only one of those programs who currently has a head coach.
“When I talked to Elijah Haven, he was very adamant that he is wide open to leaving the state of Louisiana,” said national recruiting analyst Tom Loy. “He’s wide open to leaving Baton Rouge, when a lot of people were just assuming he was a slam dunk for LSU.”
It’s not like the cupboard is bare or that the Tigers don’t have anyone in the fold. Afterall, they already have a pledge from another blue chip QB in the same 2027 cycle from Evangel Christian in Peyton Houston. Houston is an elite player that’s drawn a ton of comparisons to Kyler Murray because of his unique size (5-foot-10 200 pounds) and skillset.
But, Haven isn’t just a blue chip recruit. He’s the No. 2 overall prospect in the class, and through ten games in his junior season he’s amassed 3,254 yards of offense, 51 touchdowns and five interceptions. He’s also completed 72.7 percent of his passes.
LSU has owned the state of Louisiana for the most part in regards to recruiting. But in the history of the state, four of the five highest ranked recruits all-time left to go elsewhere. Brock Berlin went to Florida, Joe McKnight went to Southern Cal, Arch Manning went to Texas, and Cam Robinson went to Alabama. There’s no telling where Haven will rank in regards to those high school local legends.
Wherever he is ranked isn’t what’s most important. It’s what logo he commits to at his announcement ceremony when that day comes. And when that day comes it needs to be purple and gold.
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