Elite California Defensive Back Has LSU Football ‘Standing Out’ in Recruitment
Los Angeles (Calif.) Sierra Canyon defensive back Havon Finney Jr. has emerged as one of the top prospects on the west coast as his recruitment process picks up this offseason.
Finney, the No. 1 rated cornerback in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle, has reeled in offers from the “Who’s Who” of college football with Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers getting in the mix.
But Finney has elected to switch things up in his recruitment. The youngster will skip his junior campaign and reclassify into the 2026 cycle, he told On3 Sports.
He’s coming off of a big-time sophomore season where he finished with 37 tackles, 16 pass break-ups and four interceptions.
The former Top-5 overall prospect in the 2027 cycle will look to ramp up his recruiting process with a myriad of schools standing out.
LSU, Georgia, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Penn State, Oklahoma, Texas, USC and Ohio State, among several others, have Finney’s attention.
The 6-foot-3, 170-pounder will begin taking official visits this summer with the LSU Tigers set to battle for one of their own.
Finney visited the Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins in January with LSU, Miami and Texas “recruiting him as hard as they can,” according to On3 Sports.
Now, with the spring and summer approaching, Finney’s process will ramp up as visits begin getting locked in.
LSU currently holds the No. 3 rated 2026 class in America and the No. 1 class in the Southeastern Conference.
The Quick Hits: LSU’s 2026 Commitments [6]:
Richard Anderson: No. 2 DL in America
Richard pledged to the Tigers in 2024 with the program continuing to keep a foot on the gas for his services. He’s fresh off of a monster junior campaign at Edna Karr after leading his program to a state championship victory.
The coveted lineman earned 5A All-State honors after tallying 44 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 18 quarterback hurries, two interceptions and a touchdown in 2024. He’s the top pledge in LSU’s 2026 Recruiting Class to this point.
Anderson is rated as the No. 1 overall prospect in Louisiana and the No. 23 overall prospect in America.
Aiden Hall: No. 4 Safety in America
Hall committed to Kelly and Co. during his junior campaign where he joined his teammate, Richard Anderson, as LSU pledges in the 2026 class.
The coveted defensive back rounded out his junior season with 38 tackles, including 12 for loss and four sacks, plus four interceptions, 11 pass break-ups, four blocked punts and two fumble recoveries. One of the top safeties in America, LSU will be battling down the stretch for his services.
Hall is rated as the No. 4 overall player in Louisiana and a Top-75 prospect in America.
Brysten Martinez: 4-star Offensive Tackle
Gonzales (La.) East Ascension four-star offensive tackle Brysten Martinez has verbally committed to Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers, he announced on Feb. 13. He is rated as the No. 8 rated offensive tackle in America and is a Top-75 overall prospect in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle.
The 6-foot-5, 290-pounder selected the Tigers over a myriad of SEC programs including the Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M Aggies and Georgia Bulldogs, among several others.
Martinez is rated as the No. 6 overall prospect in Louisiana and a Top-160 prospect in America.
Kenny Darby: 4-star Wide Receiver
Darby is fresh off of a junior campaign where he landed on the 5A All-State team after logging 100 receptions for 1,764 yards and 24 scores. One of the most prolific receivers in Louisiana, Darby is a player the program remains high on heading into his senior season.
The 6-foot, 175-pounder is a speedy, twitchy wideout that burst on the scene in 2024 with LSU extending an offer. Darby wasted no time in pledging to the program.
Darby is rated as the No. 7 overall prospect in Louisiana and the No. 2 wide receiver.
Jakai Anderson: 4-star Wide Receiver
Anderson is another elite-level wide receiver out of Louisiana who recently earned 4A All-State honors after an impressive junior season. He logged 57 catches for 972 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season, but a Swiss Army Knife that does it all. Anderson also rushed for 151 yards and four scores on 16 carries.
The prized prospect is rated as the No. 8 overall player in Louisiana and a Top-200 overall prospect in America.
Jalan Chapman: Coveted Offensive Lineman
Chapman, a three-star prospect out of New Orleans (La.), pledged to the Tigers last summer over Alabama, USC, Georgia and Tennessee, among others.
He currently stands at 6-foot-3, 270 pounds following his junior year for New Orleans (La.) Warren Easton High after gaining national attention following his sophomore campaign in 2023.
