Lamar Brown, ESPN's No. 1 prospect, announcing Thursday; LSU, Texas A&M battling

Contributor
Andrew Nemec
Lamar Brown, ESPN's No. 1 prospect, announcing Thursday; LSU, Texas A&M battling image

There's no clear-cut No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2026.

Miami commit and Nixa (Missouri) offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell is No. 1 on On3 and Tennessee commit and Grimsley (North Carolina) quarterback Faizon Brandon claims the top spot on 247Sports. 

But for ESPN, University Lab (Louisiana) five-star two-way lineman Lamar Brown is viewed as the nation's top prospect.

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound athlete is set to announce his commitment Thursday at 12:15 p.m. CT in the University Lab gym.

Brown is formally down to a final four of LSU, Miami, Texas and Texas A&M, but most experts believe the battle centers on LSU and Texas A&M in the final days:

Brown took official visits to all four of his finalists, but it was the Tigers and Aggies who received the final two trips.

It is worth noting that both Miami and Texas have pulled off NIL-era shockers on decision day, so they shouldn't entirely be counted out.

But the LSU-Texas A&M battle has taken centerstage. 

Texas A&M emerged from the crucial month of June as the perceived favorite, but LSU is trying to flip the narrative in the final hours. 

Will they be successful? 

Both programs certainly have a lot going for them.

Texas A&M has emerged as a major national recruiting power in the NIL era, and recently landed the commitment of Buford (Georgia) elite defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright, who would pair nicely with Brown. 

LSU is No. 2 nationally in terms of "average rating per commit" in its class, and the loaded group is headlined by a pair of defensive linemen - Pensacola Catholic (Florida) five-star edge Trenton Henderson and Edna Karr (Louisiana) elite four-star defensive tackle Richard Anderson.

What will the winning program be getting?

Here's what 247Sports had to say about Brown as a prospect:

"Legitimate high-level two-way prospect as an interior O-lineman or potentially role-versatile front-line defender. Projected for many months to IOL as a physical, athletic difference maker who could potentially provide across-the-front O-line versatility in college. However, indicates desire to play defense, which obviously must be considered in evaluation."

"Stout, athletic build that fosters sudden athleticism and explosive movements. Enforcer on tape. Flashes close-quarters power and impressive short-area agility. Shows a sense or urgency and searches for extra work. Turbo-charged as a puller and climber. Sinks hips and complements punch power with significant lower-half juice. Encouraging pass-pro reps on an outside island. Initial suddenness and heavy-handedness translate to defense, where he's experienced inside and on the edge. Shows surprising pursuit range thanks to excellent functional athleticism."

"Performed well both ways at March 2025 Under Armour New Orleans event; produced dominant reps as a DL, but offensive snaps reinforced elite projection as an IOL. Possesses excellent multi-sport context as Louisiana 3A shot put champion (53-1) as a sophomore, discus champion (151-6) as a junior. Elite combine-testing athleticism in several categories."

"Must firmly land in a long-term positional home. That said, projects as a high-major impact player on either side of the ball. Possesses legitimate high-round NFL Draft potential."