LSU football: Tigers get commitment from Arch Manning’s top receiver

By getting AJ Johnson’s commitment, the LSU football program is one step closer to landing Arch Manning.

LSU football fans should be ecstatic over their favorite team’s latest commitment. By gaining four-star wide receiver AJ Johnson‘s commitment, the Bayou Bengals might be at the front of the line to win the Arch Manning sweepstakes.

Johnson not only is the No. 12 player from Louisiana, the No. 33 wide receiver in the 2022 class and the No. 237 overall prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite, but he just so happens to catch balls from the top 2023 quarterback prospect at Isidore Newman in New Orleans. Manning may be an Ole Miss and Tennessee legacy, but LSU is his home state’s college team.

Does landing Arch Manning’s top high school receiver get him to Baton Rouge?

On talent alone, Johnson was on LSU’s radar anyway. The 6-foot-4 and 205-pound receiver had 10 official offers, including Alabama, Florida State and Georgia. Choosing to stay in-state makes a ton of sense, as he probably grew up an LSU fan anyway. Keep in mind that Odell Beckham Jr. is also an Isidore Newman alum himself. However, does Johnson’s commitment get Manning to LSU?

Manning’s father Cooper Manning said previously he has no issues with his son committing to play for a major rival of Ole Miss. Cooper, his father Archie and his youngest brother Eli all went to the University of Mississippi. His middle brother Peyton went on to do extraordinary things for the Tennessee Volunteers. Simply put, Arch Manning is a virtual lock to play his college ball in the SEC.

As for if LSU is the early frontrunner to secure his commitment, that remains to be seen. It would be awfully hard to say no to playing for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss when your dad, grandfather and uncle all went there. Then again, his Uncle Peyton spurned the Rebels to suit up for Tennessee, so the precedent has been set. For now, we know Arch is throwing to an LSU commit.

LSU is one of nine schools that have offered the 2023 pro-style quarterback out of New Orleans.

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