Brian Kelly and the LSU football staff hosted one of the biggest recruiting events of the summer on Friday for the program’s annual Bayou Splash in Baton Rouge.
For Kelly and the Tigers, they brought in a myriad of commitments in both the 2025 and 2026 classes along with targets at the top of their Big Board.
The invite-only event was once again a huge success for the program with LSU now trending for numerous targets.
One name to keep tabs on is Gulf Shores (Ala.) native JaMichael Garrett.
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The four-star 2026 linebacker has seen his status as a recruit skyrocket over the last few months after cracking the Top 150 in the recent update.
A Top 10 linebacker in America, Garrett has the Who’s Who of college football pursuing his services, but after trimming his list, it’s LSU and Auburn who are his finalists.
On Friday, Garrett made the drive to Baton Rouge for LSU’s Bayou Splash recruiting event where he was accompanied by several of the top targets on LSU’s radar.
— Jamichael “Jmike” Garrett (@jamichael97) June 6, 2024
Following the trip to check in with LSU, he hopped back in the car to make the trip up to Auburn where he will visit with the [Auburn] Tigers on Saturday.
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With his finalists set in stone, Garrett confirmed a commitment is “coming soon” with a decision likely coming within the next week.
Right now, LSU is trending for his services following a beneficial visit to Baton Rouge for the Bayou Splash event.
Garrett is an elite-level linebacker who could thrive under defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s system. There is a need for linebackers in the 2026 cycle with the Tigers turning up the heat for Garrett.
LSU currently holds a pair of 2026 commitments, but after a huge weekend on the recruiting trail, we could see more pop sooner than later.
All signs point to Garrett joining the class.
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Late Friday night, we saw the first prediction come in from On3 Sports’ Shea Dixon with more buzz trending LSU’s way.
— Jamichael “Jmike” Garrett (@jamichael97) July 27, 2024
For the Tigers, it would be a tremendous get for a program that is eyeing improvement for the long haul on the defensive side of the ball.
A Top 10 linebacker in America, Garrett is at the top of LSU’s 2026 Big Board with the program looking to get him on board sooner rather than later.
On Friday, he was alongside several top 2026 prospects with the No. 1 prospect in the country in town, Jahkeem Stewart.
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Stewart, the the top recruit in the 2026 cycle, is just down the road from Baton Rouge and Brian Kelly’s coaching staff has kept tabs on the prospect many are preparing to call “generational”.
The prized defensive lineman plays his high school ball at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans (La.) where the Bayou Bengals have certainly dipped their toes in over the years.
From Leonard Fournette to Tyrann Mathieu, there have been several LSU greats that have come from the impressive Catholic League high school.
Now, LSU has their sights set on the next great recruit out of St. Augustine in coveted prospect Jahkeem Stewart.
The No. 1 overall player in the country, Stewart is a physical specimen of a defensive lineman who has programs across America salivating at his ceiling.
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With a myriad of programs in his ear, Bo Davis and the Tigers have made sure to get in on the action as well.
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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.
A man was arrested Tuesday after authorities said he sexually abused a child two years ago at a daycare run out of a private home in north Alabama.
Kevin Dewayne Franklin, 50, was charged with first-degree sodomy and sexual abuse of a child less than 12, according to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.
Franklin is being held without bond in the Marshall County jail pending an Aniah’s Law hearing.
Deputies finished their investigation into Franklin in October 2023 following allegations he sexually abused a child at a daycare in a private home in the Nixon Chapel community.
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Franklin was related to the owner of the daycare, who also lived at the home.
The daycare has since closed, authorities said.
The Marshall County District Attorney’s Office along with sheriff’s office investigators presented the case to a grand jury in November.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey offered her congratulations to the new Miss America, Abbie Stockard, in social media posts this week. Stockard, who competed for the national title as Miss Alabama, won the national crown on Sunday, Jan. 5, in Orlando, Florida.
“Our very own Miss Alabama, Abbie Stockard, has won the title of Miss America!” Ivey said in a Sunday night post on X (formerly Twitter). “I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Abbie, and I know firsthand what an outstanding young woman she is. She is incredibly deserving of this honor. Congratulations, Abbie!”
Ivey also trumpeted Stockard’s win with the same message in an Instagram reel and Facebook story.
Stockard, who grew up in Vestavia Hills, is the fourth Miss Alabama to become Miss America and the first Miss America from Alabama in 20 years. She’s following in the footsteps of previous winners Deidre Downs, Miss America 2005; Heather Whitestone, Miss America 1995; and Yolande Betbeze, Miss America 1951.
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READ: Who is Abbie Stockard? Miss America 2025 is the fourth winner from Alabama
Ivey and Stockard share a kinship as sorority sisters, through Auburn University and Alpha Gamma Delta. Stockard, 22, is a nursing student at Auburn University and a member of Alpha Gamma Delta. Ivey, 80, an Auburn alum, pledged the sorority in the 1960s.
Stockard traveled to Montgomery to meet Alabama’s governor in October 2024, about four months after her win as Miss Alabama. “What an honor it was to meet with Alabama’s Governor, Kay Ivey!” Stockard said in an Instagram post. “We had a wonderful time discussing my work for Cystic Fibrosis advocacy across the state and giving a glimpse into the next few months as I prepare for Miss America!”
Stockard’s philanthropic platform as Miss Alabama, and now as Miss America, is Be the Change: Find a Cure — Cystic Fibrosis Awareness.
Another Miss Alabama winner with Auburn ties, Lauren Bradford, met Ivey in Montgomery after her win in the state pageant. Bradford, Miss Alabama 2021, is an Auburn University alum and a member of Alpha Gamma Delta. She was named first runner-up at Miss America 2022.
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“I had a great visit with Miss Alabama 2021 Lauren Bradford today discussing her historic win as the 100th Miss Alabama, our @auburnalphagam sisterhood, our beloved @auburnu & most importantly #COVID19 vaccinations,” Ivey said in an Instagram post on Aug. 5, 2021. She and Bradford can be seen in a video clip saying, “Get vaccinated, Alabama!”
The Miss Alabama organization posted about Bradford’s meeting with Ivey on Facebook, saying “Thank you, Governor Ivey, for your hospitality.”
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — CJ Hines scored on a layup at the buzzer and finished with 23 points as Alabama State rallied to beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 93-91 on Monday night.
Hines also contributed six rebounds for the Hornets (6-9, 2-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference). Amarr Knox added 20 points and Micah Octave scored 13.
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The Golden Lions (3-12, 0-2) were led by Doctor Bradley, who scored a career-high 35 in his second game of the season. Bradley, a junior who had a career-best 30 points in his first game, added seven rebounds and seven assists. Christian Moore had 19 points and Caleb Jones scored 15.
Alabama State rallied after trailing 50-41 at halftime.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
