Manvel (Tex.) four-star safety Karnell James went public with a commitment decision to the LSU Tigers on Thursday evening and wasted no time in beginning to recruit other top prospects.
James checks in as the No. 5 rated safety in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle with Lane Kiffin and Co. flipping him away from the Texas Longhorns after putting a foot on the gas for the Lone Star State defensive back this offseason.
LSU hosted James on an official visit during the weekend of June 5 - knocking it out of the park - where he then rounded out June with trips to Notre Dame and Texas to wrap things up.
But the culture in Baton Rouge ultimately won out for one of the top defensive backs in America where he's now made his move.
"I told LSU after all my official visits - it was a really, really tough decision. I didn't know for a while. After my Texas official visit, it made it really hard. I ended up telling LSU a couple days after. They were excited," James told 247Sports.
The opportunity to suit up for Kiffin and a star-studded coaching staff at LSU - primarily secondary coach Corey Raymond - spearheaded the push for the Tigers to win out with James eager to make his way to the Bayou State when his time comes.
"Lane Kiffin is a great football mind - like me he's a competitor and you could tell that from the jump. He also has a kid in the game so he's going to care for other kids like his own," James told 247Sports during his commitment ceremony.
Now, with James officially joining the 2027 Recruiting Class with the LSU Tigers, he's already putting his head down to stack more talent to the haul heading to Baton Rouge.
The one prospect on his radar: New Orleans (La.) Brother Martin five-star wide receiver Easton Royal.
With his decision behind him, @Greedyjames7 is already recruiting a five-star prospect to join him in Baton Rouge with @LSUfootball. ???? @easton_3k ???? https://t.co/OcIRNedqPE pic.twitter.com/6bd5KqUiaW
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) July 2, 2026
Royal checks in as the No. 2 rated wideout in America where he's currently committed to the Texas Longhorns - but James was quick to reveal he's turning up the heat on the elite pass-catcher.
"Definitely my dawg Easton Royal - for sure," James said when asked which prospect he's set to recruit the hardest. "We've already been talking."
The No. 1 prospect in Louisiana has been wined and dined by schools across the country with LSU and Florida emerging as the biggest threats to flip Royal off of his commitment to the Texas Longhorns.
Now, James - a former Texas pledge prior to flipping to LSU on Thursday - is putting a foot on the gas for Royal as the summer months roll on.
"I'm still talking to those coaches," Royal told 247Sports of LSU after his official visits. "They're trying to flip me and convince me that everything I need right here is at home as well, stressing that development and the power of LSU when it comes to producing receivers."
LSU is up to 15 commitments in the program's 2027 Recruiting Class with the haul checking in at No. 11 in the country, but Kiffin and Co. remain active in the pursuit of multiple top targets - including Royal.