Good things await LSU because Brian Kelly is making all the right calls. The Tigers held their own in the 2026 recruiting cycle at No. 7 with 16 commitments, boasting 5-stars like Lamar Brown, Tristen Keys, and Richard Anderson. But the latest splash out of Baton Rouge isn’t a 5-star edge rusher or a freak athlete. It’s a behind-the-scenes powerhouse who’s been everywhere and knows how to play big. 

In a move that raised eyebrows and sent the college football world talking, Brian Kelly and LSU poached Ohio State’s recruiting genius to become their own. In a breaking news update by Boot Krewe Media on Instagram on July 11, “LSU has hired Ohio State Director of Personnel Sam Petitto as their new Director of Scouting and Personnel Strategy. Petitto spent nearly a decade with Nick Saban as Alabama’s Director of Personnel Operations.” Sam Petitto joined Ryan Day‘s staff back in February 2024. 

Sam Petitto, a Louisiana native from Amite, knows the SEC inside out. Before Ohio State, he spent eight seasons with Nick Saban at Alabama as Director of Personnel Operations. He also served as Georgia’s Director of Player Personnel for two seasons. And now he’s coming back home to Bayou and bringing a trophy-hunting mentality with him. And why does this matter?

Let’s circle back to Blaine Bradford, the No. 1 safety in the nation out of Baton Rouge Catholic High. The kid’s currently committed to OSU, and you can guess who made that possible. He was also responsible for the signing of Alabama WR DeVonta Smith, who later became a Heisman winner in 2020. So perhaps, getting Sam Petitto is one of the biggest moves LSU made this offseason. He becomes the third major front office hire in one week for the Tigers, joining Kelvin Bolden from Ole Miss and Jeff Martin from USC. All signs point to one thing. Brian Kelly is building something big, and he’s doing it from the inside out. And the momentum is already showing.

Brian Kelly keeps Lamar Brown home 

LSU is slowing down on the recruiting trail. Lamar Brown, the No. 1 athlete in the country and top overall recruit in Louisiana, made it official on Thursday that he’s staying home. Standing at 6’4, 285 pounds, Brown is as dominant as they come, and he chose LSU over Texas A&M, Texas, and Miami. His reasoning is loyalty, community, and legacy. “It just feels good to play for my state and city,” he said. “Not just for three or four years but for years after football life.”

Brian Kelly, Frank Wilson, and the rest of LSU’s staff had been on Lamar Brown from Day 1. And now, the Bayou Bengals have locked in a cornerstone piece of the 2026 class. “To have the chance to play for the home team, to be able to shine on Saturdays… it’s a dream and it means a lot for any Louisiana kid,” he added. As for any doubters plagued with uncertainty about his decision, Brown silenced them with one fiery X post — “I’m locked in man ain’t none of that ‘it ain’t over till the ink dry’ everybody had their chance I’m just blessed to be able call LSU home if you not with us then you TIGER BAIT!!!”

Brian Kelly’s recruiting board is catching fire. And with pros like Sam Petitto now calling the shots, LSU could become even hotter in recruiting.