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Blake Baumgartner, ESPN Staff Writer
LSU‘s recent run on the recruiting trail continued Saturday with an in-state pickup in the 2025 class.
Four-star cornerback Jaboree Antoine, ranked No. 47 in the 2025 ESPN 300, pledged to Brian Kelly‘s program, adding to an already high-profile group.
Antoine, who plays at Westgate High School in New Iberia, also considered Texas and Tennessee and will enroll early in January 2025.
“Staying home would be huge knowing that my family can come to every game,” he told ESPN. “Playing for the state of Louisiana and playing for just LSU itself — the organization — is huge.”
Antoine follows five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood (No. 1 in 2025), five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore (No. 4 in 2025) and four-star running back Harlem Berry (No. 16 in 2025) as top-50 prospects to announce for LSU so far for 2025. Underwood and Berry each committed earlier this month, and Moore committed in August.
Berry and Antoine roomed together at the Under Armour All-American Camp and have been in frequent contact.
“Once we get there, we ready to work,” Antoine said. “We’re trying to bring back the LSU we know and the state of Louisiana know.”
LSU’s momentum on the trail is building. The Tigers are in line to have the 11th-best class in 2024 with the traditional signing period approaching on Feb. 7.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Antoine saw time at both quarterback and in the secondary for the Mighty Tigers the past two seasons while playing for his cousin, head coach Ryan Antoine.
“I’m really a lockdown cornerback,” Antoine said. “That’s what you’re going to get. A hardworking guy. I played quarterback, so I know both sides. I’m a thinker, so I process everything before it even happens.”
LSU has won 10 games in each of Kelly’s two seasons, with an explosive offense leading the way. But the defense lagged behind Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels and the rest of the offense at times last year, allowing 28 points a game, which ranked 13th in the SEC, and 416.6 yards per game, which ranked 105th in the FBS.
Under new defensive coordinator Blake Baker, Antoine figures to help a Tigers defense that allowed 255.6 yards a game last year (115th in the FBS). Baker was hired away from Missouri on Jan. 5 amid an overhaul of Kelly’s defensive coaching staff.
Antoine said it was the return of defensive backs coach Corey Raymond to LSU after a year at Florida that helped push things over the top for him.
“[Raymond] said he really wants to lock up [opposing wide receivers],” Antoine said. “So I know with everybody in that LSU building, I would fit in the scheme great.”
