The LSU Tigers faced ending a 94-year relationship with the SEC post Labor Day 2026. Head coach Lane Kiffin ruffled feathers there in attempting to add two ex-NFL players to his roster, leading to the conference threatening to end its ties to LSU. Now Kiffin won’t have Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, but could also lose a longtime five-star recruiting target too amid the fallout.
LSU looks like it’ll remain in the SEC following the threat. But national recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong of On3/Rivals revealed new, striking intel on Wednesday that places the Tigers on high alert.
Five-star wide receiver Easton Royal went from Saturday visitor during the Clemson game to taking in another big game this weekend. But this one involving an SEC rival of the Tigers.
Where Longtime LSU Target Easton Royal is Heading
Wiltfong writes that the New Orleans wideout Royal is among the star-studded recruiting guests heading to Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
Another words, he’s going to watch Texas take on Ohio State and interact with the Longhorns.
“The Rivals Industry’s No. 5 prospect overall, Royal was at LSU last weekend and there has been a lot of buzz regarding the in-state Tigers trending since the end of the summer. The Longhorns have stayed the course and they’re certainly not going to lose the recruitment on their side,” Wiltfong said.
So the Brother Martin High star Royal isn’t just going as a longtime LSU target. He remains softly committed to Texas. But there’s catch there that Wiltfong shared.
“They’ve allowed Royal to go through his process having been someone that gave an early commitment,” Wiltfong said. “[But] they’ve remained in regular dialogue with the family and continued to show the Royal camp what a priority he is in Austin.”
Texas Still High on Easton Royal
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff have delivered their aggressive sales pitches to keep Royal from decommitting.
“This is a recruitment Texas is fully vested in. They have the offense, the track record of development and Royal and his family have always loved the vibe around the city and program,” Wilfong said.
So now comes “the next part” in winning over Royal.
“The next part of the plan is to win this game against Ohio State and then have the prospects on campus like Royal soak up that environment,” the insider said. “When you look long-term, Texas has a couple wide receivers that could find themselves up for the Biletnikoff Award this season when all said and done, and Sarkisian has coached winners of that award and obviously the Heisman in the past.”
Why This is a New, Potential Blow for LSU
Once again this recruiting news comes amid the controversial NFL gate attached to LSU in recent weeks.
LSU first faced the SEC’s ruling of prohibiting undrafted rookies to return to college. Kiffin still lured in Harris and Wright thanks to a judge’s order. But the conference countered in threatening to expel LSU from SEC competition.
LSU is one of the SEC’s oldest representatives filled with national prestige. The Tigers joined Alabama, Auburn and Georgia in claiming national titles during the 2010s era. LSU could’ve faced going independent for the rest of the season and beyond.
Looks like LSU will adhere to the SEC’s threat. But now a longtime recruiting target could threaten to shut his recruitment down officially and embrace being a Longhorn. Which adds another blow in Baton Rouge if it happens.
LSU Now Facing Losing Longtime Recruiting Target Following SEC Threat