LSU Just Stole a Top 100 Safety From Texas and It Changes the 2027 Recruiting Board

LSU flipped four-star safety Greedy James from Texas on Thursday, and it’s the kind of move that makes you rethink the whole 2027 recruiting picture. James, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound defensive back from Manvel High School in Texas, had been committed to the Longhorns since December 2025. Now he’s a Tiger.

The timing matters. James took his official visits this summer, spent time around LSU’s staff, and decided the pull of Baton Rouge was stronger than the hometown team. According to Hayes Fawcett of On3Sports and Rivals, the flip went down quietly until the announcement dropped on X.

James is ranked among the top safeties in the country by Rivals. For LSU, this isn’t just another recruit. It’s a message. The Tigers have a long history of producing NFL defensive backs, and Lane Kiffin’s staff clearly wanted to remind everyone that the pipeline still runs through Louisiana — even when the player is from Texas.

Corey Raymond was all over this recruitment. He’s the guy who built those legendary LSU secondaries, and his presence in the room with James made a difference. The Tigers also leaned on James’ family ties to Louisiana and a relationship that had been simmering since before his Texas pledge.

This is a notable win for Kiffin in a cycle that’s still early but already competitive. Pulling a four-star safety away from a conference rival after seven months of commitment is rare. It shows that LSU’s staff can close when it matters, and it gives the defense a rangy, athletic piece to build around against the high-powered offenses in the SEC.

For Texas, it stings. The Longhorns had James locked in for months. They hosted him on campus. They thought they had him. And then LSU came in during the summer visit window and flipped him. That’s the kind of loss that fuels recruiting battles for years.

What happens next? James is a 2027 recruit, so there’s still time. His commitment to LSU isn’t signed until next year. But for now, the Tigers have momentum. And in the world of college football recruiting, momentum is everything.