The Ïã¸ÛÁùºÍ¿ª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ and Acadiana areas aren’t short on prep football talent, and there are plenty of Class of 2026 recruits from there that have stood out.
The top recruits from these areas have already shown enough potential to receive Power Five offers from LSU and other top Division I programs, and they have room for growth heading into their junior years.
Below are five recruits from Ïã¸ÛÁùºÍ¿ª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ and Acadiana that have made enough of an impact to garner national attention.
TOP 2026 RECRUITS IN BATON ROGUE AND ACADIANA
Lamar Brown, University High
Position: Offensive Lineman
Height/weight: 6-4/260
Ranking: No. 1 in Louisiana Class of 2026 (4 star)
Offers: LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Florida St, USC, and others
Brown headlines a stacked Class of 2026 as the top-ranked player in the state of Louisiana and is one of the most highly recruited players in the nation as evidenced by his lengthy list of Power Five offers. Brown is a force along a stacked U-High offense line and is a multisport athlete who recently placed first in the shot put at the Class 3A state track and field meet.
Blaine Bradford, Catholic-BR
Position: Defensive Back
Height/weight: 6-1/195
Ranking: No. 3 in Louisiana Class of 2026 (4 star)
Offers: LSU, Georgia, Texas, Florida St, Notre Dame, USC and others
Bradford has racked up 20-plus Power Five offers already as someone that’s been making an impact at Catholic since his freshman year. Bradford has turned heads as the top-ranked defensive back in the state for 2026, and his older brother Jacob is also a highly rated 2025 recruit.
Brysten Martinez, East Ascension
Position: Offensive Lineman
Height/weight: 6-5/280
Ranking: No. 6 in Louisiana Class of 2026 (4 star)
Offers: Georgia, Florida St, Texas, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas A&M and others
Martinez was a First Team All-Metro selection last season as a dominant offensive tackle for East Ascension. A multisport athlete, Martinez has received serious recruiting attention heading into his junior year, with Texas being the most recent Power Five school to offer him.
Darryus McKinley, Acadiana
Position: Defensive Lineman
Height/weight: 6-2/245
Ranking: No. 10 in Louisiana Class of 2026 (4 star)
Offers: LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Miami (FL) and others
McKinley appears to be the next up in a long line of dominant Acadiana High defensive linemen, with his brother Dominick recently signing with LSU. The younger McKinley has already picked up an LSU offer and should continue to improve after thriving as a sophomore.
Chantz Babineaux, Carencro
Position: Athlete
Height/weight: 5-11/185
Ranking: No. 15 in Louisiana Class of 2026 (3 star)
Offers: Michigan, Tulane, UL, ULM
Babineaux switched from wide receiver to quarterback as a sophomore and was a First Team All-Metro selection, and he also led Carencro’s baseball team. Babineaux’s set to land with a Division I school despite his position being unclear, as he’s received multiple offers.
Height, weight, offers, rankings and star value info courtesy of 247 Sports
