By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
Offensive lineman Jalan Chapman of Warren Easton High in New Orleans has been committed to LSU since July of 2024, but apparently new LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin and staff are not committed to him.
Chapman, a three-star prospect, tweeted on Tuesday that he is reopening his recruitment, which also likely means he has de-committed.
After prayer and careful consideration with my family, I have decided to fully reopen my recruitment and continue this process with clarity and purpose.
— Jalan Chapman (@jalan4x_) December 2, 2025
“He’s a players’ coach,” Chapman had just told Tiger Rag of Kiffin on Monday after Kiffin’s arrival at LSU on Sunday night.
When you start 2nd guessing yourself, then subconsciously channeling your inner Cajun Man, @Coach_EdOrgeron , then you know LSU was right decision.https://t.co/dxOk82eoOn
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 2, 2025
Kiffin is replacing fired coach Brian Kelly, who recruited Chapman (6-foot-3, 305 pounds), the No. 77 interior offensive lineman in the country and No. 36 prospect in Louisiana by 247sports.com.
Lane Kiffin wasted no time meeting LSU’s top commitment for 2026 class on Sunday. … LSU reserve WR planning on entering portal. @andrechampagnee https://t.co/5O9k331rl6
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 1, 2025
“If you look at him and his resume, he resonates with players,” Chapman said. “I never really talked to Brian Kelly like that.”
Chapman has not yet talked to Kiffin, but he gets the sense Kiffin is closer to his players. Kiffin did fight to the end to coach his Ole Miss players in upcoming, 12-team College Football Playoff while recruiting and hiring a staff for LSU. But Ole Miss officials didn’t let that happen.
UPDATE: Lane Kiffin fighting to the end to coach Ole Miss in playoffs, but doesn’t look like it will happen. He has a meeting with players today before likely leaving for Monday press conference at LSU.https://t.co/8MTA20MIsW
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 30, 2025
“If you look at Lane Kiffin and how his program is, I feel like every one of his players has a special place with him,” Chapman said.
Chapman is one of 15 commitments left by Kelly for the Class of 2026. He was scheduled to sign with LSU on Thursday – the second day of the early signing period that runs through Friday. But that is now not expected to happen. Kiffin and staff may plan to bring in other recruits and/or transfer portal players in January, which could be putting Chapman on the back burner.
Kiffin was 55-19 overall and 31-17 in the SEC in six seasons at Ole Miss, which is No. 7 in the College Football Playoff rankings at 11-1 overall and 7-1 in the league this season. The Rebels are expected to host a CFP game on Dec. 19 or 20 in Oxford.
“It’s one thing to know how to win, but it’s another thing to know how to win in the SEC,” Chapman said Monday.
LSU’s class is ranked No. 12 in the country and could rise if Kiffin adds some premium recruits between now and the second signing day on Feb. 4. Kiffin left Ole Miss with the No. 3 total offense in the nation with 498.1 yards per game and No. 11 scoring offense with 37.2 points a game.
“I love his offense, because it’s not such a downhill (running game),” Chapman said. “There are more counters, more getting your offensive linemen into space, so that they can move and see how hard they can hit. And it’s fast paced.”
Kiffin is obviously moving fast as a recruiter as well.
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