Five-star edge rusher posts on social media how much he loves LSU, flips to Miami mere hours later

Keyshawn Johnson reacts to the news that UNLV QB Matthew Sluka is leaving the school over $100K NIL dispute. "Small schools are pump-faking!"

If I had to sum up the experience of college football recruiting in just one sentence, it would be "not for the faint of heart."

The hopes and dreams of you and your favorite team rest on the whims of a 17-year-old kid who has been told by everyone his entire life how great he is.

That doesn't stop once college programs start calling, and when you throw in six- and seven-figure NIL deals, it can make things even more complicated.

Nick Saban, former head football coach at the University of Alabama, testifies before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in Washington, D.C., on June 3, 2026. The committee heard testimony on protecting college sports, supporting student athletes, restoring fair compensation, and saving the games fans love. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Even once a prospect is "committed" to your school, you have to basically hope all the other potential suitors don't swoop in at the last minute with a sweetheart deal to whisk your recruit away at the 11th hour.

LSU fans found this out the hard way on Wednesday, when five-star edge rusher Jaiden Bryant decided to start testing the waters outside of Baton Rouge.

Bryant apparently received an offer he couldn't refuse from last season's national championship runners-up, the Miami Hurricanes, as the South Carolina native jumped ship for South Florida and "shut down" his recruitment in the process (though that is never set in stone either).

Bryant was one of the crown jewels of an LSU recruiting class that, while small, more than makes up for the lack of quantity with star power.

KENTUCKY BASKETBALL