Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic High five-star safety Blaine Bradford revealed a commitment to Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes in March after going public with a decision.
The sought-after defensive back in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle remains a top priority for Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers staff, but now it’s set to be an uphill battle down the stretch.
Bradford spent the spring visiting multiple programs including LSU, Ohio State, Oregon and Notre Dame with his attention quickly turning towards the Buckeyes.
Then, the No. 1 safety in America announced a pledge to Day and Co. after a rigorous recruiting battle.
“It has been about consistency with Ohio State,” he told On3’s Chad Simmons prior to his commitment. “I have had a lot of good conversations with coach Ryan Day and I can talk about anything with coach G (Matt Guerierri).
“They won a national championship this season, they can put people into the NFL every year and they have great people around the program.”
Now, it’ll become an interesting battle for Kelly and Co. down the stretch with the top-ranked defensive back residing in LSU’s backyard.
Bradford, a Baton Rouge (La.) native, was a player circled by the LSU program as a “must-have” in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle.
