Rivals Rankings Week: Defensive LSU signees receive final rankings

The final Rivals250 update for the Class of 2024 dropped Tuesday as LSU secured 10 spots on the list. Rivals.com turned its attention to positional rankings Wednesday and Thursday, releasing the final updates for offensive and defensive players.

Picking up his fifth star Monday, Dominick McKinley turned on the burners, pushing past multiple top defensive tackles in the Class of 2024 for second in Thursday's update.

The 6-foot-6, 270-pound lineman elevated his status at the Under Armour All-America Game, where he flipped his commitment from Texas A&M on New Year's Day.

McKinley is expected to sign with the Tigers on National Signing Day, strengthening his commitment on his official visit this month after meeting with defensive line coach Bo Davis.

The final 2024 update didn't bring positives to four-star Christopher Jackson. On Tuesday, he dropped to No. 238 in the Rivals250, and on Thursday, he moved down to No. 17 at the weakside defensive end position.

Jackson, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound edge, committed to LSU in October after previously being committed to Georgia Tech.

Another flip for the Tigers down the stretch, Gabriel Reliford chose LSU over USC. He stayed close to home, joining Jackson as a top-20 weakside defensive end in the Class of 2024 at No. 19.

"They made me feel like they genuinely cared about me," Reliford said in December.

Reliford enrolled earlier this month.

One central theme for the Tigers' 2024 class was flipping commitments. LSU got to Ahmad Breaux later in his recruitment, when the three-star defensive end was pledged to Duke.

Breaux received an offer, got on campus last spring and knew he was staying home. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound strongside defensive end moved up to No. 48 on the final ranking for his position.

Enrolling early at LSU, Breaux gets to work closely with two coaches that recruited him at Mizzou: defensive coordinator Blake Baker and edge rushers coach Kevin Peoples.

Moving to Texas for his senior season, Xavier Atkins felt the shift in ratings in a heavily talented state, but it didn't stop him from moving up at his own position. Atkins dropped nine spots in the Rivals250, but he moved up to No. 7 at the outside linebacker position.

Atkins took an official visit to LSU earlier this month alongside McKinley and running back Caden Durham. The trio got on campus the weekend early enrollment began, offering them a few days to catch up with future teammates and new staffers.

Kolaj Cobbins is another four-star linebacker that felt a knock in the final Rivals250 update, dropping 52 spots to No. 210. The Destrehan product didn't get to show off his true presence as a Jack — hybrid linebacker and defensive end — at the All-American Bowl.

Instead, he improved his coverage skills alongside fellow LSU signee Davhon Keys in the first week of the new year. Cobbins ended the Class of 2024 rankings as the eighth-best outside linebacker in the country.

Keys, who enrolled at LSU a few weeks ago, stood at the same spot in the final update: 18th at the insider linebacker position. The four-star recruit played opposite of Cobbins at the All-American Bowl as an outside linebacker, where he excelled at Aledo.

He gravitated towards the football on every play, picking up a few tackles and highlight hit on special teams. In high school, Keys displayed his leadership at the outside linebacker position.

Four-star PJ Woodland climbed to No. 28 in the cornerbacks ranking. The 6-foot, 160-pound defensive back received late buzz from Ole Miss before signing with LSU on Dec. 20. He was previously committed to Mississippi State.

A Louisiana prep record breaker, Ju'Juan Johnson will transition to the defensive side of the ball for college. He didn't move in the final Class of 2024 update, sticking at No. 29 for cornerbacks.

Johnson took to the All-American Bowl earlier this month, but he suffered a concussion in practice, knocking him out of competing in the game. He still found his footing at his new position.

"You can't just go out there and play the same thing over and over just as a DB," Johnson said Jan. 6. "Sometimes you have to press, and sometimes you have to fake your press, jam a little later and just certain things that."

Johnson will compete in track and field this spring before enrolling in the summer.

Wallace Foster, a three-star recruit, fell to No. 77 in the final ranking. The New Orleans product committed to LSU over a year before signing with the Tigers.

Another New Orleans product, Bernard Causey, felt a drop in the ranking, falling to No. 80. The three-star cornerback pledged to LSU two months before signing in December.

Tylen Singleton, an early enrollee, received a drop in both the Rivals250 and his position ranking. The four-star recruit ranked No. 126 nationally and 10th at the safety position. He is now in Baton Rouge, getting familiar with newly hired safeties coach Jake Olsen.

DaShawn Mcbryde is in the same boat as Singleton. He dropped to No. 236 on the Rivals250 and No. 18 at his position. The four-star is on campus, working with Olsen as well.

Four-star Joel Rogers rounded out the defensive ranking updates, coming in at No. 26 at the safety position. The West Feliciana product enrolled at LSU this month.

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