Lafayette (La.) three-star wide receiver Brayden Allen made his way to Baton Rouge on Saturday for an unofficial visit with interim head coach Frank Wilson and the LSU Tigers.
Allen, a top-five receiver in Louisiana, verbally committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Oct. 1 after flipping his pledge away from the Tulane Green Wave as his recruitment exploded.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder had remained loyal to a Tulane Green Wave, but after multiple SEC programs extended offers, he made the move to reopen his process with the Oklahoma Sooners swooping in to make the flip happen.
“My host was Elijah Thomas and that was pretty cool. We hung out for a while after the game and with the team,” Allen told Rivals.
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“Their message was really just that I belong there in that environment and that I can go there and ball out but also come out a better man.”
Courtesy of Brayden Allen’s Instagram.
Allen is coming off of a strong junior campaign in 2024 where he logged 55 receptions for 1,155 yards and 10 touchdowns as he emerged as a national recruit.
Fast forward to his senior season this fall and his recruitment process took off with Southeastern Conference programs extending scholarships left and right to the Bayou State native.
Now, it’s the LSU Tigers making a significant push for Allen after he took a visit to campus on Saturday – ultimately receiving an offer from interim coach Frank Wilson and the coaching staff.
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LSU holds a pair of wide receiver commits in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle with the program eyeing a third down the stretch with the Early Signing Period less than one month away: Destrehan (La.) four-star Jabari Mack and Bossier City (La.) four-star Kenny Darby.
The No. 1 wide receiver in Louisiana, Mack, recently shut down his recruitment and is locked in with the LSU Tigers while being committed since March.
LSU is pushing to flip Oklahoma WR commit Brayden Allen, via @samspiegs🐯
“LSU is my dream school since a little kid and they put a lot of receivers in the league.”
As the Early Signing Period in December inches closer, the LSU Tigers are looking to add a third wide receiver to the 2026 Recruiting Class with Allen emerging as the top priority.
Now, an official offer is on the table for the Oklahoma Sooners pledge after soaking in the scenes of Death Valley on Saturday for the Tigers’ win over Arkansas.
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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU Tigers.
Federal immigration authorities are keeping a tight lid on key details as “Catahoula Crunch” closes its first week in southeast Louisiana, Verite writes.
The operation—one of Department of Homeland Security’s largest recent urban crackdowns—began with raids at home-improvement stores and aims for 5,000 arrests, according to plans previously reviewed by the Associated Press. While DHS publicly highlighted arrests of immigrants with violent criminal records, AP data shows fewer than one-third of the 38 detainees in the first two days had prior convictions.
Meanwhile, advocacy groups report widespread fear in Hispanic communities, with residents avoiding hospitals, schools, workplaces and even grocery stores amid sightings of federal agents.
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Business impacts are already visible: restaurants and Hispanic-serving corridors like Broad Street appear unusually quiet, with staff shortages forcing menu cuts and temporary closures. School absenteeism has doubled in Jefferson Parish, and protests have spread across New Orleans and surrounding suburbs as local leaders demand transparency around federal tactics.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The Louisiana State Police is opening its doors throughout December, hosting open house events aimed at giving potential applicants a closer look at what it takes to become a state trooper.
Troop leaders said the goal is to recruit men and women who are prepared for the demands of the job and committed to serving their communities.
Troop A Public Information Officer Shelby Mayfield said the open houses are designed to make the application process more accessible.
“One of the reasons we generated these open houses was to allow our applicants to come in and get a look inside the troop, meet some state troopers from across the troop area, and ask whatever questions they may have to the recruiters who are present,” Mayfield said.
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Along with information sessions, Mayfield said the events help future applicants better understand the daily responsibilities of law enforcement and the mindset troopers are expected to bring to the job.
“We want to make sure that that trooper knows how important officer safety is,” he said. “But more importantly, we want to make sure they go out there with a pure heart.”
The Louisiana State Police Training Academy is known for its rigorous curriculum that prepares cadets for real-world situations. From crash investigations to communication skills, instructors focus on developing well-rounded troopers who can serve safely and effectively.
Mayfield said applicants must be ready for a variety of interactions, not just emergencies.
“Not everything is going to be a high-intensity, rapidly evolving situation,” he said. “You need to be able to deal with the public to accomplish your job, and that’s why we preach not just getting the job done, but being able to relate to the public so you can meet their needs.”
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The application deadline for Cadet Class 109 is Jan. 6, 2026. Mayfield encourages anyone who feels called to the profession to take the next step.
“If this is something you genuinely have in your heart to do, reach out to somebody when it’s convenient for you,” he said. “Even if you miss a deadline, never give up because it’s never too late.”
Open house events will continue throughout the month at troop locations across Louisiana. More information on Cadet Class 109 and the application process is available on the Louisiana State Police website.
Houma-based Synergy Bank is planning to construct a second Baton Rouge location.
The bank is proposing a roughly 9,200-square-foot branch with a drive-thru on a 1.63-acre tract in the Towne Center Business Park, adjacent to Cadence Bank.
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The Planning Commission is scheduled to review the final development plan at its January meeting. Rusty Bourg, Synergy Bank’s chief operating officer, filed the application. The property is owned by Summa Professional Office Park LLC. According to the development plan, the 9,236-square-foot building would sit on 1.07 acres, leaving about a half-acre of open space.
Formed in 1998 by a group of local business leaders in the Houma-Terrebonne area, Synergy entered the Baton Rouge market in 2023 after acquiring People’s Bank and its branches in Baton Rouge, New Roads, Central and Livonia. The bank’s Baton Rouge location is on Mourning Dove Drive near Jefferson Highway.
The bank also operates six branches in the Houma-Thibodaux area and reported assets of roughly $1.2 billion and deposits of $1 billion as of Sept. 30, according to the FDIC.
