LSU lands commitment from 2023 Minnesota DE/TE Jaxon Howard

A busy holiday weekend of college commitment announcements started with a bang Friday for LSU.

Four-star Robbinsdale Cooper (New Hope, Minn.) tight end and defensive end Jaxon Howard announced his pledge to the Tigers in his high school's gymnasium after 6 p.m.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound standout is the nation's No. 96 ranked prospect overall, No. 5 tight end in the country and No. 1 player among Minnesota's rising seniors.

He becomes LSU's seventh commitment for the 2023 class from six different states.

Howard will play "more on defensive line" in Baton Rouge, he previously told TigerDetails, as his recruitment was led by defensive line coach Jamar Cain but he could also be an option at tight end as well.

Howard credited his relationship with Cain as a big reason for the Tigers landing him, along with his relationship with Brian Kelly.

"I think LSU is the perfect place for me," he said during his announcement.

Another tight end prospect, Mac Markway, was the Tigers' first 2023 commitment to coach Brian Kelly and the new staff in March.

The first three defensive players in the class are all in the secondary.

Howard was choosing between the Tigers, home-state Minnesota, Big Ten champion Michigan and Miami as his top four of more than 60 offers.

He made trips to each of the four programs during the past two and a half months, including Baton Rouge in April for the spring game and this past week for an official visit.

Howard is the son of Robbinsdale Cooper coach Willie Howard, the former Minnesota Vikings defensive end selected in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Stanford.

Howard was also previously recruited by the former LSU coaching staff as Scott Linehan, the old LSU passing game coordinator, coached Willie Howard.