The UIL State Track Meet 2024, one of the country's most prominent high school championships, took place in Austin, Texas, showcasing the skills of future LSU football players. With the Tigers focusing their recruitment efforts on Texas, known for producing top-notch athletes, their search for speed on the gridiron seems to have struck gold.

Kicking off at Mike A. Myers stadium on the University of Texas campus, the Texas state track and field championships witnessed intense competition across various levels on Thursday. The 3A and 4A events were held, while the 5A and 2A competitions are scheduled for Friday.

However, the highlight of the meet is set to occur on Saturday, as the state's largest classification, the 6A events, take center stage. Among the most anticipated races of the day is the boys' 4x100 relay, which features three of the fastest teams in the nation: Duncanville, Houston North Shore, and Atascocita. These programs have set new national high school records by running sub-40 second times this year, showcasing their incredible speed.

To put this achievement into perspective, Atascocita's remarkable 38.92-second performance in the spring would place them amongst the top 15 college teams in the country. As the attention of the entire state of Texas turns to the track, Louisiana's LSU faithful will be closely following their future stars.

LSU's aggressive recruitment efforts in Texas have paid off handsomely, with four players from the state either committed to or signed with the Tigers. Headlining Duncanville's relay team are Caden Durham, a four-star LSU running back signee, and Dakorien Moore, the top-ranked receiver in the 2025 class. Both Durham and Moore will also compete in the 4x200 team, while Durham takes part in the 100-meter dash and Moore showcases his skills in the long jump event.

Atascocita boasts LSU wide receiver signee Jelani Watkins, who will be a key anchor for their 4x100 team. Watkins, with personal bests of 10.22 and 20.56 seconds in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, respectively, is the favorite to triumph in both events. The 4x100 battle between Atascocita and Duncanville has been intense, with Atascocita currently holding the upper hand in terms of times.

Another LSU commit who garnered attention at the UIL State Track Meet is North Shore linebacker Charles Ross. Ross, standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 190 pounds, committed to LSU during spring and has been impressive on the track this season. He will play a pivotal role in North Shore's quest to win the 4x100 relay, bringing along his speed. Ross will also compete in the 100-meter dash, where he recorded a personal best of 10.36 seconds this spring.

As the Tigers mine Texas for explosive playmakers on the football field, the presence and success of these LSU commits at the UIL State Track Meet only further solidify the program's need for speed. With such high-caliber talents joining their ranks, LSU football is set to benefit greatly from the rich pool of Texas athleticism.