Newly Committed 5-Star Lamar Brown Is Already Recruiting for LSU, Targeting 5-Star Safety Blaine Bradford Flip from Buckeyes

Lamar Brown hasn’t been in LSU’s recruiting class for more than a minute, and he’s already acting like a team captain.

The newly committed five-star linebacker out of Georgia gave Brian Kelly’s program a massive recruiting boost just days ago, and the ripple effects are being felt immediately. Brown, one of the nation’s top-rated defenders in the 2025 class, made headlines not just for choosing LSU, but for making it clear he intends to build something special in Baton Rouge.

His first target? Another five-star—and another Louisiana native: Blaine Bradford, the elite safety from Baton Rouge’s own Catholic High School. Bradford, who committed to Ohio State earlier this year, now finds himself at the center of a full-blown tug-of-war. The Tigers are pushing hard to flip him, and Brown is leading the charge.

It’s a bold move, but it’s not surprising coming from Brown, a player known for his fire, leadership, and relentless competitiveness. From the moment he went public with his LSU pledge, Brown has turned into one of the program’s most vocal advocates, flooding social media with purple-and-gold energy and openly calling on top prospects to join him.

“Let’s build a dynasty,” Brown wrote in a recent X post, tagging multiple uncommitted recruits, including Bradford, and adding a pair of tiger emojis.

It’s exactly the kind of swagger LSU fans love to see—and exactly the kind of momentum Brian Kelly and his staff are hoping to capitalize on.

Brown’s commitment was a massive win on its own. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker is widely considered one of the top 15 overall players in the nation. He brings not only elite athleticism and instincts but also a tenacious motor and football IQ that separates him from even the best of his peers. His junior film is filled with explosive plays: chase-down tackles, instinctive reads, and moments where he simply takes over a game.

And now, the Tigers hope he can help deliver another five-star gem in Blaine Bradford, who’s already proven to be one of the most versatile and complete safeties in the country.

For Bradford, the decision to commit to Ohio State made waves in the spring. The Buckeyes have been dominant on the recruiting trail in recent years and have built a reputation for developing NFL-caliber defensive backs. Bradford saw the opportunity and committed early, joining one of the top classes in the nation.

But LSU never backed off.

Despite Bradford’s pledge to the Buckeyes, the Tigers have remained in contact. And now, with Brown throwing his weight behind the pitch, there’s real belief inside the LSU camp that a flip is possible.

“Blaine is homegrown talent. He belongs here,” one LSU source said. “We’ve never stopped recruiting him, and with Lamar [Brown] in his ear, we feel like we’ve got a real shot.”

Bradford, for his part, has stayed mostly quiet since committing to Ohio State, but there have been signs. He’s been spotted on campus in Baton Rouge more than once this summer, including an unofficial visit just days before Brown’s announcement. His social media has also featured a few subtle nods to LSU—likes, reposts, and comments from current players and fans.

Most importantly, he’s maintained that his recruitment is “still open,” even if he’s technically committed elsewhere. That’s enough to give LSU hope—and enough to give fans something to buzz about.

In fact, the scenario unfolding is something LSU recruiting experts have seen before.

“This has all the makings of a classic Louisiana flip,” said a longtime SEC recruiting analyst. “LSU rarely loses a top-5 in-state kid for long. Once you get someone like Lamar Brown on board and he starts doing peer-to-peer recruiting, it changes the dynamics completely. The Tigers are going to be in this one until the end.”

And that peer-to-peer recruitment is real.

Brown and Bradford already know each other from camps and 7-on-7 circuits. They’ve bonded through shared experiences and have developed a mutual respect. Both are considered leaders among their peers, and Brown’s recruitment efforts carry weight.

“He’s not just tweeting for attention,” one source said of Brown. “These guys actually talk. They text. They FaceTime. It’s not performative. He really wants to play with Blaine, and Blaine knows it.”

LSU is hoping that connection, plus the draw of staying home to represent Baton Rouge, will ultimately win out.

And for LSU, flipping Bradford would be more than just a recruiting win—it would be a statement.

It would show that despite the rise of national powers like Ohio State, Georgia, and Alabama poaching top Louisiana talent, the Tigers still have the juice to keep the best at home. It would reaffirm LSU’s identity as the flagship program for Louisiana prospects—and solidify this 2025 class as one of the best in the nation.

Right now, LSU’s class is shaping up nicely. With Brown, they’ve secured one of the top defensive pieces on the board. Add Bradford, and suddenly you’re looking at a defensive foundation that could rival any in recent memory.

LSU’s strategy under Brian Kelly has been equal parts local dominance and national pull. They’ve targeted elite Louisiana players with the “state pride” pitch, while also casting a wide net to land blue-chippers like Brown from neighboring states.

This year, they’ve got momentum—and Brown is one of the driving forces behind it.

“I didn’t come here to just play,” Brown said in an interview after his commitment. “I came here to win championships. And that starts with who you’ve got in the locker room.”

That kind of mindset is exactly why LSU fans are already rallying behind Brown. He’s got that alpha edge that Tiger fans recognize and respect. He reminds many of past greats who helped build LSU’s brand into what it is today—players who stayed hungry and made others want to follow them.

Now, the spotlight turns to Blaine Bradford.

Will he stay committed to the Buckeyes, where a top-tier defensive staff and a national title contender await? Or will he stay home and join a rising LSU class led by someone who’s already reaching out with both arms?

The pressure is mounting. The conversations are ongoing. And as we edge closer to the fall, the recruiting chess match is only intensifying.

LSU isn’t just hoping for a flip. They’re planning for it. They’ve kept a seat warm for Bradford, and now they’re letting one of their biggest stars in the making do some of the talking.

Whether or not it works remains to be seen. Recruiting is unpredictable. Commitments don’t always stick. Momentum shifts. But if there’s one thing that’s becoming clearer by the day, it’s this:

Lamar Brown isn’t just a recruit—he’s a recruiter.

And LSU might have just landed a five-star player who could help them sign five more.

If Brown succeeds in flipping Blaine Bradford, it won’t just be a win—it’ll be the kind of move that echoes across college football. A rallying cry. A warning shot. A message to the rest of the country that LSU isn’t backing down.

They’re building something real in Baton Rouge. And Lamar Brown is making sure everyone knows it.