Phil Steele ranks LSU's Jelani Watkins as No. 21 freshman wide receiver

LSU’s receiver room is tasked with reloading after losing Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. The Tigers have some talent in the pipeline already with fifth-year players Kyren Lacy and CJ Daniels.

But staying on top at the receiver position requires elite recruiting year in and year out. One true freshman worth keeping an eye on this fall is Jelani Watkins, who college football analyst Phil Steele ranked as 21st best first-year receiver in the country.

According to On3’s Industry Ranking, Watkins is a four-star and the No. 217 overall recruit in his class. Watkins rates highest at ESPN, where he’s the No. 5 wide receiver in the class. 247Sports puts Watkins at No. 23 among his fellow receivers, not far off Steele’s ranking at 21.

Watkins’ best trait is his speed. He’s expected to run track at LSU along with playing football and was recently named the Gatorade Player of The Year in Texas for his accomplishments on the track circuit.

It’s unclear if Watkins will make an immediate impact, but the opportunity will be there if he forces the envelope. LSU’s offensive staff values speed and Watkins has the wheels to create big plays.

Watkins was a member of LSU’s 2024 class that ranked No. 7 nationally.

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