Brian Kelly Faces Another Bryce Underwood-Like Heartbreak as SEC Rival Lures 5-Star LSU Commit With 7-Figure Bombshell

Looks like the fault is in Brian Kelly’s stars. The LSU Tigers’ head coach acted as if losing Bryce Underwood to Sherrone Moore’s Wolverines didn’t affect his team. “It really didn’t affect the core of what we wanted to accomplish,” Kelly stated after the 5-star, No. 1 quarterback was reportedly lured away with a flashy NIL deal worth over $10 million. Despite his public front, a sense of betrayal clearly troubled Kelly. And what if we tell you that pain is going to make a comeback?

Five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys—the No. 1 WR in the class—committed to LSU back in March. However, he is yet to close his commitment. Now that the gates are opened, an SEC rival is already lurking in. And what will be the deciding factor for Keys to jump out of Kelly’s wagon? NIL. Again. It’s already looking like a Bryce Underwood Chapter 2.0. Now, what’s the price tag this time?

On June 13, On3 NIL came up with the latest update. The tweet read, “The race for LSU 5-star WR commit Tristen Keys continues to heat up🔥 Keys is expected to ink an NIL package that will pay him between $500K to $1 million as a freshman, per @PeteNakos_💰.”

The Mississippi product plans to announce his commitment in August. So, Kelly must already be losing his sleep. After all, Keys had raised the expectations with his promising words, “Once a Tiger, always a Tiger.” Earlier, it was Miami that, according to Keys, had tried the “hardest” to woo him. Now it’s Josh Heupel’s Tennessee Volunteers. Kelly’s 6-foot-2.5, 185-pound receiver commit will visit Tennessee this weekend (June 13-15).

As the Tigers’ luck now hangs by a thin thread, the freshman is going to snag a hefty NIL package between $500,000 and $1 million. Right now, he holds a NIL valuation of $536,000. To boost his recruiting process, Keys has appointed agent Bus Cook in an advisory role, who already has a strong resume. Among Cook’s most notable former clients are Brett Favre, Steve McNair, and Randy Moss. 

When it comes to the average NIL, according to On3, the Tigers hold a valuation of $208k while Tennessee is privileged at $187k. Yet, the Volunteers hold a contract with Nike that expires in 2026, and the university is currently evaluating other brands to partner with, including Adidas and Under Armour. Plus, they have saved some money by pulling the brakes on Nico Iamaleava, who pressured them to pay $4 million. While Kelly will try his best not to let the Underwood heartbreak repeat itself, he also has to save his coaching seat. 

Brian Kelly is walking on thin ice in Baton Rouge 

One narrative fits the most for Kelly moving into 2025. ‘Can Brian Kelly be the messiah this season?’ While fans were looking for answers, ex-Cleveland star Gerald V Dixon and national analyst Brad Crawford threw cold water on his aspirations. 247Sports came up with a list of the ‘Teams With Most Playoff Pressure’ back in April. No brownie points for guessing, the analysts placed Kelly’s Tigers at the No.1 spot. 

The Tigers now have +1800 odds to win the 2025 National Championship Title. Despite Brian Kelly’s massive NIL efforts, hitting figures north of $18 million and reportedly $20.5 million, he can’t escape the program’s storied history. The financial boost alone won’t erase past narratives or perceptions.

Dixon sent a reminder: “You are the last coach out of four coaches to be the only one who has not been to the playoffs or brought us home a National Championship. So, it’s due time here; when you cash in and put your own money, you are truly invested.” As per On3’s 2025 Industry Ranking football Team Recruiting Rankings, the Tigers have locked in 23 commits (2025 class). That’s when Crawford came up with a wake-up call for Brian Kelly.

“This is starting to feel very similar to 2022 signing class at Texas A&M under Jimbo Fisher. The highest rating class in 247Sports and then in a year and a half later, Jimbo Fisher is fired, they pay him a maximum buyout, because they had not made a playoff or even challenged for an SEC crown yet,” Crawford added. Do you remember when Texas A&M got rid of their former head coach, Jimbo Fisher, under whom the program got “stuck in neutral?” Fifth gear or bust, it’s Kelly’s moment to make LSU roar.