When it comes to recruiting, few coaches are as aggressive as Lane Kiffin. Fresh off signing a $91 million deal, LSU’s new head coach has gone all-in on the transfer portal. He made headlines by poaching players from his former program and several others along the way. Now, he has taken things a step further by targeting an unusual recruit: a 12-year-old football prodigy.

As strange as it sounds, it is true. Lane Kiffin has started recruiting middle school talent, pushing the idea of future sustainability to a different level. The player in question is Madden San Miguel, better known as “Baby Gronk,” a nickname inspired by legendary NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski.

“Blessed to receive an offer from LSU @Lane_Kiffin,” San Miguel shared the news on X.

The move did not come out of nowhere. Kiffin had been in contact with San Miguel for some time. Last year, when Kiffin was at Ole Miss, the program extended an offer to the young prospect, which San Miguel also revealed on social media. Kiffin continued to follow him closely as a Class of 2031 prospect. Miguel later committed to Ole Miss before flipping to Clemson.

After parting ways with Ole Miss and clashing with the program during the transfer portal cycle, Kiffin has now delivered another blow to the Rebels, extending an offer to Miguel on behalf of LSU. While “Baby Grok” is still years away from college football, he received interest from more than twenty programs, which shows how highly touted he is. But a question naturally arises: Why is a 12-year-old kid a major target?

The answer to that question is fairly simple. It all comes down to his skill level and his versatility. The fact that at his age, he can play as a tight end, running back, or even quarterback is unbelievable. Not only that, but he is also averaging six touchdowns per game, which shows his natural knack for the sport. His statistics are ridiculous: 7,000 rushing yards, 4,500 receiving yards, and 300 total touchdowns in just two seasons of tackle football. He was also training with a professional when he was just six years old, which further set him apart in the eyes of scouts.

Those numbers have even caught the attention of legendary figures in the sport, including Nick Saban and Deion Sanders. That level of interest shows just how special San Miguel is, with many already viewing him as a possible generational talent despite not yet being a teenager. Luckily for LSU, Lane Kiffin knows just when to pounce on a target.

How Did Baby Gronk Become So Famous?

While his stats, talent, and versatility are very impressive, there’s another thing that truly sets him apart from other wonder kids. That comes down to his father, Jake San Miguel, a marketing genius. He has carefully built his son’s online presence by using connections with NFL veterans, college football players, and social media influencers. Those relationships have helped Miguel meet high-profile athletes and celebrities, boosting his visibility and keeping him in constant conversation among fans and scouts.

Jake San Miguel has also been clear about his goal of turning his son into the most versatile football player of all time. And that further creates hype for Miguel because he backs up his father’s words with both quality and production, making it difficult for scouts to ignore him, even at such a young age.

With the social media following “Baby Gronk” already has, NIL is unlikely to be an issue for the phenom. He currently has more than 540,000 subscribers on YouTube and around 13,500 followers on X. For someone who has not even reached his teenage years, that level of attention says a lot about how big his profile has already become.

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