The LSU Tigers are still recruiting well despite missing out on five-star WR Xavier Sabb.
The LSU Tigers lost out on five-star wide receiver Xavier Sabb, who committed to Oregon on the heels of a recruitment that, frankly, never seemed to tilt in LSU’s favor.
Sabb, a 6’1, 195-pound pass catcher from Glassboro, New Jersey, chose the Ducks over LSU, Tennessee, and UCLA. He carries a 95.94 composite rating on Rivals, ranks as the No. 20 player in the country, the No. 5 player at his position, and the No. 1 player in New Jersey.
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“I’m locked in and ready to bring a national championship to Eugene, Oregon,” Sabb said.
His NIL valuation sits at $371,000, according to Rivals. Beyond the schools he narrowed it down to, Saab also considered Rutgers, Penn State, and Alabama during his recruitment.
LSU probably never really stood a chance
When you look at the visit breakdown, LSU was always going to have a tough time here. Sabb visited Rutgers eight times, Penn State six, Alabama five, Oregon twice, Michigan twice, and Tennessee twice. He visited LSU one time. That alone tells the story. It would have been great for coach Lane Kiffin to land a five-star receiver in a 2027 class that has been doing pretty well, but one visit rarely gets the job done with a recruit of this caliber.
Oregon, meanwhile, got him on campus twice and closed the deal. The Ducks continue to build a program capable of competing for top-tier talent on both coasts, and Sabb is a significant addition to that effort.
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What makes Sabb so special
Sabb draws comparisons to Jermaine Burton, the former Alabama receiver who was a third-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024. The comparison makes sense when you consider Sabb’s athletic profile.
As a sophomore, Sabb posted personal bests of 10.69 seconds in the 100-meter dash, 22.01 seconds in the 200-meter dash, and a 6’2 high jump. He’s a multi-sport athlete with one of the best athletic profiles in the country at his position. Scouts view him as a legitimate high-major prospect at both wide receiver and safety, with the physical tools to conceivably earn snaps on both sides of the ball. Wide receiver has always been his preferred position, though, and that’s where Oregon will almost certainly develop him.
Where LSU goes from here
LSU is missing out on a talented player, no question. But the Tigers’ 2027 commitment class still has good pieces, and Kiffin will keep pushing to find the receiver he wants. Losing Sabb stings, but the lack of visit volume suggests LSU’s staff may have recognized early on that this would be an uphill battle. One visit against eight trips to Rutgers and five to Alabama leaves little room to build a relationship.
The Tigers will move on. Kiffin’s recruiting machine has proven capable of landing elite talent, and there are still plenty of targets left on the board at wide receiver. Sabb just won’t be one of them.
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This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: LSU Tigers were listed as a finalist for a five-star player, but they likely never really had a chance
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