Thursday Insider: LSU Tigers Football Lands a Historical WR Recruit, Sooners Five-Star Flips Commitment to LSU Over Notre Dame, Georgia, and Texas – This One Is Very Significant Because of the History He Has With…
In one of the most dramatic recruiting twists of the 2025 cycle, the LSU Tigers have landed a five-star wide receiver who was once considered a lock for the Oklahoma Sooners. This recruiting victory is sending shockwaves across the college football world – not just because of the player’s star status, but because of the deeper story behind the flip.
The player in question is Malik Randle, the No. 2 wide receiver in the country and a top-10 overall recruit out of Denton, Texas. Randle had long been committed to Oklahoma, pledging to the Sooners during his junior year after growing up idolizing the program. However, in a move few saw coming, he decommitted and announced his decision to join Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers – choosing Baton Rouge over blue bloods like Notre Dame, Georgia, and Texas.
Randle’s decision is particularly significant due to his personal history with LSU wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton. Hankton was the first coach to offer Randle a scholarship – back when he was still coaching at Georgia. The relationship built over the years proved to be a deciding factor in what became a very emotional recruitment.
“It wasn’t just about football,” Randle said during his announcement. “Coach Hankton has been there since day one. He believed in me when I wasn’t even ranked. I’ve always felt that bond with him, and now that he’s at LSU, it feels like the right place for me to grow and dominate.”
But make no mistake – Randle’s flip wasn’t just about personal ties. LSU’s recent history of developing NFL-level receivers, from Justin Jefferson to Ja’Marr Chase to Malik Nabers, played a major role. The Tigers’ reputation as “WRU” continues to attract top-tier pass catchers who want to be part of that legacy.
Randle’s commitment makes him the highest-rated wide receiver LSU has landed since Terrace Marshall in 2018, and arguably the most significant WR pledge since Odell Beckham Jr. This is not just a win on the recruiting board – it’s a cultural win for the Tigers, who are making it clear they intend to dominate the SEC’s offensive landscape in the coming years.
Even more intriguing is the ripple effect this may have on other recruits. LSU is now trending for two other high-profile offensive weapons in the 2025 class, and Randle’s public praise of the program may encourage others to follow. It also throws a wrench in Oklahoma’s plans – the Sooners were counting on Randle to be the cornerstone of their offensive rebuild as they enter their second season in the SEC.
As for the other schools in Randle’s final four, sources say Notre Dame made a late push but couldn’t overcome the SEC allure, while Georgia’s receiver room felt “too crowded” for a clear path to early playing time. Texas, despite being the in-state option, simply never established the same level of trust or connection.
In the broader picture, this recruitment underscores LSU’s rising stock under Brian Kelly. Despite concerns about fit when he arrived from Notre Dame, Kelly is proving he can recruit elite talent in SEC territory, and Randle’s commitment is proof that the Tigers are playing at a national level in every sense.
As LSU continues to build a powerhouse class for 2025, Malik Randle’s flip stands out not just for the talent he brings, but for the emotional weight behind it. It’s not every day that a player flips from a childhood dream school to follow a coach he trusts – and in this case, it might just be the decision that defines the next chapter of LSU football.