LSU coach Lane Kiffin secured a significant in-state commitment Sunday with a pledge from four-star prospect Ahmad Hudson, ESPN's No. 1 tight end in the 2027 class.
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound recruit from Ruston, Louisiana, is the No. 22 overall recruit and the third-ranked prospect from the state of Louisiana in the SC Next 300. He announced his commitment to LSU over Nebraska via social media Sunday afternoon.
A two-sport star with a long list of high major basketball offers, Hudson courted interest from football programs across the Big Ten and SEC this spring as one of the nation's top pass-catching prospects in the 2027 cycle. He initially scheduled official visits with LSU, Nebraska, Texas A&M and USC before canceling his trips to see the Aggies and Trojans and narrowing his recruitment to the Tigers and Cornhuskers last month.
Hudson, who has visited LSU multiple times in 2026, marks the Tigers' top-ranked in-state pledge under Kiffin and lands as the highest ranked of five top 300 commits in the program's 2027 class.
Four-star defensive end Jaiden Bryant (No. 39 overall) became Kiffin's first pledge in the 2027 class in January before LSU picked up pledges from SC Next 300 wide receivers Braylon Calais (No. 97) and Ah'mari Stevens (No. 299) in April. The Tigers also hold a commitment from No. 2 pocket passer Peyton Houston (No. 84), who gave his pledge to the program under former coach Brian Kelly last September.
Upon Hudson's commitment, LSU is expected to remain aggressive with elite targets in the 2027 cycle, sources told ESPN, including five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson (No. 7) and No. 1 overall wide receiver Easton Royal (No. 9), a Texas commit.