Arden Key's third—and presumably final—collegiate commitment occurred Monday evening with LSU on the receiving end of a pledge from the 4-star defensive end:
The 6'5", 230-pound prospect picked the Tigers over fellow finalists Auburn and South Carolina. He spent two separate stretches of this recruiting cycle as a member of the Gamecocks' recruiting class.
Key, rated fourth nationally among weak-side defensive ends and 82nd overall in 247Sports' composite rankings, decommitted from South Carolina a second time in early January, setting the stage for a frenzied final push toward signing day:
The Gamecocks remained in contention through the very end, viewed as primary opposition to LSU. Auburn, another possible landing spot, suffered a setback last month when Key cancelled his official visit to the university.
Despite having the coveted defender in his grips twice, Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier must ultimately look elsewhere for a speed-rusher off of the edge. Instead, he's an outstanding pickup for LSU and new defensive line coach Ed Orgeron.
"Schools want pass rushers, and that's what I can do," Key told Fox Sports South.
He earned a spot in the Under Armour All-America Game after dominating competition in Georgia.
Key tallied 87 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks as a junior at Martin Luther King High School. He transferred to Hapeville Charter in 2014, securing 16.5 sacks through his first nine games, per Phil Kornblut of SportsTalkSC.com.
Bleacher Report national recruiting analyst Sanjay Kirpalani broke down his skill set during our recent CFB Recruiting 200 series: "Key is an intriguing prospect due to his length and the physicality he plays with. He’s aggressive off the line of scrimmage, and he’s already developed a nice blend of moves and power to his game. His frame can hold some added muscle, and he has a ton of upside heading into college."
If he arrives on campus with the will to mature physically and fundamentally, Key could contend for a spot in LSU's defensive front rotation as a true freshman. His quickest path to playing time would probably come as a situational pass-rusher, while he works on developing three-down abilities during underclassman campaigns.
The Tigers now hold 21 players in a 2015 recruiting class that rates sixth nationally in 247Sports' composite rankings. Top-rated inside linebacker Leo Lewis decommitted from Ole Miss on Friday while visiting Baton Rouge and could be the next defensive standout to climb aboard.
Recruit ratings and info courtesy of 247Sports.
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