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The LSU Tigers are pursuing a major in-state quarterback target in the class of 2027. Elijah Haven is the No. 1 player in the nation according to 247 Sports and is expected to be a headliner for one program in that upcoming cycle.
Which school that turns out to be is still unknown. His recruitment appears to be heating up following the announcement of an NIL deal with Ole Miss ties.
Haven is described by 247 Sports as a “supersized dual-threat QB with a powerful arm and above-the-rim athleticism.” The site compared him to NFL passer Joe Milton in their scouting report.
His list of suitors is already lengthy after wrapping up National Sophomore Football Player of the Year honors by MaxPreps last season. He accounted for more than 4,000 yards of offense and threw 56 touchdowns at Dunham School in Baton Rouge.
LSU would seem to be the team to beat given proximity, but offers from Ole Miss, Florida, FSU, Auburn, Michigan, and Miami will hold weight in his recruitment. For the Tigers, a commitment would offer redemption after last year’s failure to land Bryce Underwood.
Like Elijah Haven, Underwood was considered the top player in his class. He was a longtime LSU commit before flipping to Michigan late in the process. The school’s location and educational offerings played a role in the flip, as did a massive NIL offer from the Wolverines.
The Tigers won’t have to face the uphill battle of luring a recruit from hundreds of miles away this time around. Haven is right in their back yard. They will, however, have to be competitive with their NIL package.
Underwood wasn’t the only player LSU lost due to NIL negotiations last signing day. Five-star players Jahkeem Stewart and Kade Phillips also spurned the Tigers. Stewart had previously been named the No. 1 recruit in Louisiana while Phillips was committed to LSU for months before a last-second flip to Texas.
In order to keep Elijah Haven home, they may have to open up the checkbook. In fact, the passer’s already landed an NIL offer as a high schooler. That deal comes thanks to an Ole Miss grad.
Matt Bowers Auto Group has signed Top 2027 QB Elijah Haven to first of its kind Prep-Athlete NIL Deal.
Looks like the competition for the future #1 Player in Louisiana is already heating up. pic.twitter.com/61MB9X9BpK
— The Jordy Culotta Show (@CulottaShow) January 27, 2025
Matt Bowers lives in Louisiana but is a Rebel. He insists that his Ole Miss history won’t impact Haven’s college decision. Bowers says that the two have a relationship that stemmed from AAU basketball. He’s simply looking out for the quarterback’s best interest.
It’s also worth noting that Bowers has done deals with LSU players in the past. Still, that Ole Miss affiliation will be a talking point throughout the process, particularly if Haven begins to lean towards the Rebels.
It’s good for Elijah Haven.
Yes. I went to OM.
Bayou Traditions(LSU Collective) has sent a dozen kids to buy Chargers, Challengers and Jeeps from me in Baton Rouge. All of those kids are still at LSU. 😂— Matt Bowers (@_Matt_Bowers_) January 27, 2025
LSU was outbid for Bryce Underwood. Some fans fear it could happen again with Elijah Haven. This ‘first of its kind’ NIL deal certainly makes his recruitment more interesting. We’ll see if it has any impact moving forward.