After losing the top four cornerbacks in his room, Robert Steeples had to find some difference-makers in the 2023 class. The Tigers landed one of the best available shortly after Noon when four-star cornerback Javien Toviano committed Thursday.
A 6-foot, 185-pounder from Arlington, Texas, Toviano selected the Tigers over Texas, Texas A&M, Michigan, Georgia, and many others. He is ranked as the nation’s No. 6 cornerback, No. 9 in Texas, and No. 58 on the 247Sports Composite.
As a junior at Martin High School, Toviano picked off two passes, broke up three more, forced two fumbles, recovered one, and tallied 38 tackles in 12 games. A three-year starter in the secondary, he finished his career with three interceptions, 19 passes broken up, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and 106 stops.
Brian Kelly and co. rolled out the red carpet for Toviano and his family on multiple unofficial visits during the summer ahead of his official visit for the home opener against Southern. That culmination of trips and his relationships with the staff, notably Steeples and recruiting specialist Sherman Wilson, helped push the Tigers over the top.
“I just think they have a unique culture,” Toviano previously told 247Sports on the Tigers. “They’re not too far off from that championship caliber team and that’s what I think they’re going to be. They’re going to be good year in and year out and it’s about putting the right pieces together, and I feel with that new staff and the players coming in they have a shot in the coming years.”
Toviano’s commitment bumped LSU to 25 commitments for a class now ranked No. 3 on the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings. The Tigers jumped Miami, Texas, Ohio State, and Notre Dame and now sit behind only Alabama at the top and Georgia in the second spot.
The newest addition to an already impressive class carried a lot of weight in the rankings, and 247Sports’ Chris Singletary explained why in his evaluation below:
