In a significant development in the 2027 college football recruiting cycle, one of the nation’s top tight end prospects has trimmed his list to just two programs. Ahmad Hudson, a 6-6, 230-pound standout from Ruston High School in Ruston, Louisiana, announced that he is down to LSU and Nebraska as his finalists.
Hudson is widely regarded as the premier tight end recruit in the country. According to Rivals’ Industry Rankings, he is the No. 1 tight end in the 2027 class and the No. 15 overall player nationally. On the 247Sports composite, he ranks as the No. 11 overall prospect, the No. 3 tight end, and the No. 3 player in the state of Louisiana.
What makes Hudson’s recruitment particularly intriguing is his status as a true two-sport star. He has excelled not only on the football field but also on the basketball court, where he was named the 2026 LSWA Mr. Basketball. Rivals also ranks him highly in hoops as the No. 4 center and No. 25 player in the 2027 basketball recruiting class. Hudson has expressed a strong desire to play both football and basketball at the collegiate level, making programs that can support a dual-sport path especially appealing.
Hudson previously had a top six that included LSU, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Miami, Missouri, and USC. He had even scheduled official visits to several of those schools, including USC, before making the cut. The decision to narrow it to just two came after careful evaluation of which programs best fit his needs in both sports.
LSU holds a clear geographic advantage, as Hudson is a Louisiana native playing at Ruston High. The Tigers’ football program under new head coach Lane Kiffin and their basketball team under newly hired coach Will Wade could both benefit from his commitment. On the football side, LSU has only two verbal commitments in the 2027 class so far, leaving room for a massive get like Hudson.
Nebraska, meanwhile, has been more active in 2027 football recruiting, with seven verbal commitments and a current No. 11 ranking in the Rivals team rankings. The Huskers feature a top-100 commit in Trae Taylor and have no tight ends pledged yet. On the basketball side, coach Fred Hoiberg recently led Nebraska to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, adding another layer of appeal for a two-sport athlete.
He is scheduled to take official visits to Nebraska (June 12-14) and LSU (June 19-21), with a decision expected before the end of the spring evaluation period. Rivals experts are nearly unanimous in predicting LSU as the favorite, but Nebraska’s strong recent recruiting momentum and basketball success keep it a serious contender. For both programs, landing Hudson would represent a major win on the recruiting trail, especially for LSU to keep the in-state recruit home and for Nebraska as it aims to have a top ten recruiting class in 2027.