LSU’s pursuit of immediate roster help via the transfer portal has dominated the first week and a half of the new year.
But the Tigers made a late on one of Louisiana’s top high school seniors Sunday with an offer to Archbishop Shaw defensive back Jackson Williams.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound multisport standout for his Eagles is a long, fluid athlete who is a more-than-willing physical playmaker and has shown versatility in this secondary as both a safety and cornerback.
He committed to Tulane in June and remained locked into the hometown Green Wave until the final days before the early signing period in December as coach Jon Sumrall prepared to leave for the same position at Florida.
Williams quickly pivoted to Washington State, which had ramped up its recruitment of him and a few other talented New Orleans seniors during the previous month and a half.
But when Iowa State hired away Cougars coach Jimmy Rogers and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit later in the month, Williams and other signees were granted release from their national letters of intent to pursue other options.
One of those options for Williams now includes home-state LSU where former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has taken over and continues heavily revamping both the coaching staff and the roster — though defensive coordinator Blake Baker, secondary coach Corey Raymond and safeties coach Jake Olsen are among the assistants notably being retained.
Williams entered his senior season at No. 22 in Louisiana vs. All Y’all’s 2026 rankings, which were last adjusted in August but scheduled for a final update in the coming weeks.