ARLINGTON, Texas — Arlington (Texas) Martin five-star cornerback Javien Toviano announced his commitment to LSU on Thursday afternoon over Texas, Michigan, Texas A&M and Georgia as the Tigers add their first five-star prospect in the 2023 cycle.
For Toviano, it was an easy decision to go to a program that has a rich history with defensive backs in Baton Rouge, and his relationship with the staff put it over the top.
“If there’s a select few colleges that a defensive back goes to in the country, it’s either LSU or Ohio State,” Toviano said. “LSU was the one that prioritized me for the last eight months, making sure I got out to games and treating me as a priority. I also wanted to get out of Texas to outcast the norm, so that was part of it as well. The opportunity there to play early and play in the biggest conference and competitive conference, that was what drew me in.”
Cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples was Toviano’s main point of contact during his recruitment, and the five-star sees Steeples as someone that knows how to develop at the highest level.
“Just seeing his track record, he was a head coach at the high school level, so he knows the developmental process that it takes for a high school athlete,” he said. “He knows what it takes to make it to the league too. With those things, I can pick his brain and he can help me grow.”
LSU exceeded expectations in Brian Kelly‘s first season with an appearance in the SEC Championship, and it was a big reason towards Toviano’s final decision.
“Coach Kelly, his first year was remarkable,” he said. “He had a team full of transfers and portal players pretty much and making a title run in the SEC. The culture just completely switched as soon as he got in that building. People that believed in him are reaping the benefits from it.”
Toviano pointed to his visit experience at Death Valley for the Alabama game as the best game visit he ever took, and a game experience he wants to play in for the immediate future.
“I’ve never experienced a college game day like it,” he said. “You can tell that when Bama comes to town, there’s an intimidation factor, but no one stood down at all. It was a special game and a special moment.”
Toviano sees an early opportunity to contribute at LSU, with multiple corners leaving for the draft and open spots on each boundary.
“The corner room is pretty up for grabs,” Toviano said. “There are a handful of guys getting recruited still and potentially a couple guys out of the portal, but with Mekhi Garner and Jay Ward going to the draft, it kind of opens up the landscape of things.”
While Toviano would like to win some big personal honors in his time at LSU, his ultimate goal of a national championship is something that he sees being on the table.
“Ultimately, we have a legit shot at the national championship over the 3-4 year span for sure,” he said. “My personal aspirations are to win the Jim Thorpe Award, be all-conference and then play on Sundays as well.”
At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, Toviano is ranked as the No. 25 recruit in the country for the class of 2023, according to Rivals. He is the No. 3 cornerback in the country and the No. 6 recruit from the state of Texas.
