The LSU Tigers lost out on the initial commitment for wide receiver Easton Royal. At 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, he is a five-star recruit, the No. 1 wide receiver and the No. 6 player in the nation, according to Rivals Industry Rankings.
The pass catcher committed to the Texas Longhorns on Nov. 29, despite holding offers from the Tigers, Ole Miss Rebels, Miami Hurricanes, Texas A&M Aggies, Florida Gators and Texas Tech Red Raiders.
However, not everyone is ready to give up on a potential flip. With Texas as the current landing spot, it may take a substantial financial package to change his mind. However, on Wednesday, On3's Pete Nakos reported that LSU is one of two teams that may be willing to shell out.
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"Texas five-star wide receiver commit Easton Royal is still being courted by LSU and Florida," Nakos wrote. "Sources told On3 a final decision could drag out until National Signing Day. Florida and LSU are both willing to pay north of $1.2 million to flip Royal, a source said."
It's a large price tag, but Royal was among the top players in high school football last season. He earned first-team honors on the MaxPreps Junior All-America Team, recording 57 receptions for 1,374 yards and 19 touchdowns.
With new head coach Lane Kiffin at the helm, LSU hasn't hidden its ability to spend big. According to On3's Wilson Alexander, the Tigers were reportedly "planning to allocate $25-30 million for the roster between revenue sharing and NIL, but that number rose to at least $40 million."
After hosting Royal for an official visit on May 29, the Tigers clearly view him as a recruit worthy of such a paycheck. Kiffin and his staff have already landed 14 commitments in the 2027 cycle, ranking fifth in the SEC and 11th in the nation. Flipping a five-star wide receiver would give that group a major boost.
