LSU football missed out on one of its top 2026 recruiting targets as five-star safety Blaine Bradford committed to Ohio State. The news was reported by On3's Hayes Fawcett on Monday.
"Ohio State is the best place for my development and for my future," Bradford told Fawcett.
According to Rivals, Bradford is a five-star and the No. 1 ranked safety in the class. All four major recruiting services slot Bradford as a top-three recruit in Louisiana. LSU prides itself on landing the state's top talent, but the Buckeyes managed to swing big here.
Per the On3 Industry Rankings, Bradford is the No. 25 overall ranked recruit in the country.
Bradford was the first top 10 ranked player in Louisiana to commit somewhere other than LSU this cycle. The Tigers currently hold commits from six of Louisiana's top 10 prospects, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.
LSU is still looking to earn a commitment from the state's top-ranked player, Lamarr Brown, but the Tigers are in a good spot there.
BREAKING: Elite 2026 Safety Blaine Bradford has Committed to Ohio State, he tells me for @on3recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 31, 2025
The 6’2 205 S from Baton Rouge, LA chose the Buckeyes over LSU, Oregon, & Texas
“Ohio State is the best place for my development and for my future.”https://t.co/HkUeZgMBbWpic.twitter.com/i4t7SFFByK
Per On3, LSU football's 2026 class ranks No.1 in the country. The Tigers have nine total commits, eight of which are blue-chip prospects. The top-ranked member of the class is five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Elite Louisiana five-star picks Ohio State over home state LSU Tigers
