One of Louisiana’s top defensive line prospects is keeping his talents in-state.
Acadiana High School standout Darryus McKinley has committed to LSU, choosing the Tigers over offers from Tennessee, Texas and Florida. The 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive lineman is ranked as the No. 16 player in Louisiana, according to On3.
“It felt like home to me. It really did,” McKinley said. “The environment and the people that’s around it.”
While LSU’s defensive staff played a major role in the decision, the opportunity to reunite with his older brother, Dominick McKinley — a former Rams star now on the Tigers’ roster — added another layer of excitement.
“Coach Peoples, Coach Kyle, and Coach Kelly are really just great people,” McKinley said. “They can help make you someone better than you really are.”
Still, Darryus emphasized that the decision was his alone.
“It really wasn’t him trying to push me to LSU,” he said of Dominick. “He wanted me to go there so we could play again together, but he just wanted the best for me and [wanted me to] take my own path.”
The McKinley brothers were a dominant duo on the defensive line during their time together at Acadiana, and the younger McKinley hopes to replicate that success in the SEC.
“It’s going to be great because we’re going to be developed and have more understanding of the game,” he said. “We can make some big plays out there together like we did here at Acadiana.”
Before he suits up in purple and gold, Darryus has unfinished business at the high school level — leading Acadiana to a state championship. He plans to sign with LSU during the early national signing period in December.
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