What would LSU look like with an all-Louisiana team?

Louisiana famously produces more NFL players per capita than any state in the union.

LSU’s past two coaches, Nick Saban and Les Miles, have taken advantage of that, building a “fence” around Louisiana, to borrow Howard Schnellenberger’s famous phrase about south Florida. LSU doesn’t lose many top in-state prospects and with the talent in the state, the Tigers can put a decisively local product on the field.

You can win and win big if you primarily draw players from Louisiana. The Tigers figure to start 12 Louisianians out of 22 positions in 2016.

But what if you only drew players from Louisiana. How good could you be?

Let’s say Miles’ “fence” perfectly contained the state. It kept all the players in and kept all the out-of-state players out.

What would the 2016 LSU team look like in that scenario? Would it be a better team, a worse team or about the same?

Let’s take a look at what would be an “all-Louisiana” LSU team.

Offense

Quarterback: Brandon Harris (LSU) — A year ago, this would have gone to Dak Prescott, but with Prescott gone to the NFL, the choices are tougher.

Harris, LSU’s returning starter from Bossier City, La.,  appears to be the best of the bunch that includes Mississippi State backup Damian Williams from the New Orleans suburbs.

The future would look good with sophomore Jason Pellerin (New Iberia, La.) and highly-regarded freshman Shea Patterson (Shreveport via IMG Academy) both coming from Ole Miss. Patterson, the top-rated player in the country last year, would be the Tigers’ QB in waiting.

Running back: Leonard Fournette (LSU) and John David Moore (LSU) — There would be no difference in LSU’s running back stable, as all five Tigers backs are from the state and they are, as a bunch, tough to beat. LSU’s recently departed recruiting coordinator, Frank Wilson, was also running backs coach and he didn’t let many from that position get away.

Moore, a crushing blocker, is a perfect complement to Fournette at fullback. LSU backup Bry’Kiethon Mouton, is also a Louisiana native.

Receivers: Malachi Dupre (LSU), Travin Dural (LSU), Trent Taylor (Louisiana Tech) — LSU’s top two receivers coming back were more productive than any returning Louisiana receiver at other major schools. Taylor is an interesting part of this thought experiment. Playing at a mid-major, he obviously was not a priority target for SEC schools, but his pure production (99 receptions for more than 1,200 yards last season) makes him hard to pass up.

Taylor, who played his high school ball in Shreveport, would be a natural in the slot, as would Texas A&M’s Speedy Noil, who might have been the starter here over Taylor, but he’s gotten in plenty of trouble at A&M and that’s a factor. Arkansas’ Jared Cornelius could also be a factor as a fourth receiver.

LSU would have depth at the position. Current backups like Jazz Ferguson and Tyron Johnson would still be on the roster.

Offensive line: LT Cam Robinson (Alabama), LG Garrett Brumfield (LSU), C Will Clapp (LSU), RG Josh Boutte (LSU), RT Jerry Tillery (Notre Dame) — Here’s an area where LSU often leaves the state to find players and the Tigers would be without most of their best current linemen. No Ethan Pocic (from Illinois) at center. No Maea Teuhema (from Texas) at left tackle. No Toby Weathersby (Texas) at right tackle.

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The good news is the Tigers would gain perhaps the best offensive lineman in the country in Robinson, who departed West Monroe, La., to go to Alabama. That’s a pretty solid anchor to start. Inside, the Tigers would be fine with current starters Boutte and Clapp at guard. Clapp might have to move to center, which would work because Brumfield would slide into a starting job. Or the Tigers could play Ryan Hoefeld of New Orleans who has been a starter in the past for Florida State

The right tackle spot could go to current Tiger K.J. Malone, but a thought would be to start Notre Dame’s Tillery there. The Shreveport product was a highly-regarded offensive lineman coming out of high school before the Irish moved him to defense, where he’s projected to start at defensive tackle.

But at LSU, with this fantasy scenario of an all-Louisiana roster, he probably stays on offense. If Tillery is at tackle, Malone could compete at a guard or tackle position.

One other player from outside the LSU program who would likely help would be Cody Ford, a redshirt freshman from Pineville, La., who is challenging for a starting job with the Sooners. Anybody who can compete for a job in Norman should be able to compete for a playing time in the SEC.

LSU would lose a lot, particularly with Pocic, one of the nation’s best centers. But with Robinson on the line, it would still be pretty good.

Tight end: Cethan Carter (Nebraska) — The Tigers would lose current starter Colin Jeter, a Texan, but Nebraska veteran Carter (a high school teammate of Williams)  has a pretty solid resume. Depth wouldn’t be an issue with backups Foster Moreau, DeSean Smith and Jacory Washington all from Louisiana.

Defense

Defensive line: DT Rashard Lawrence (LSU), DE Gerald Willis (Miami), DE Davon Godchaux (LSU) — Here, LSU has would have slim pickings. Losing Louis Neal (North Carolina) and Christian LaCouture (Nebraska) from the starting lineup would hurt and depth would be an issue because the Tigers have six out-of-state defensive linemen on the roster and one would be hard-pressed to find many Louisiana defensive tackles who enjoy a significant role at other major programs.

Headlining other out-of-state options is Ole Miss defensive tackle Garrald McDowell, a former 4-star recruit from the New Orleans suburbs who is still looking for his niche with the Rebels. T.D. Moton (Texas A&M) would add depth.

Linebackers: OLB Tim Williams (Alabama), ILB Kendell Beckwith (LSU), ILB Kenny Young (UCLA), OLB Duke Riley (LSU) — In LSU’s hybrid 3-4 defense, Williams would be a perfect fit as a speed rusher, which would work well as the Tigers lose Georgian Arden Key from the mix.

Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

The Tigers would also lose outside linebacker Corey Thompson, another Texas product, but the addition of Young would allow LSU to slide the speedy Riley, a high school teammate of Young, to the outside.

This would be an upgrade for LSU as Williams and Young are more proven than any LSU linebacker with the exception of Beckwith.

Secondary: CB Tre’Davious White (LSU), CB Dwayne Thomas (LSU), NB Donte Jackson (LSU), S Rickey Jefferson (LSU),  S Justin Reid (Stanford) — LSU, as a program that regularly recruits high-end secondary talent nation wide, loses a lot of star power here with one of the nation’s top safeties (Jamal Adams of Texas) and one its up-and-coming cornerbacks (Floridian Kevin Toliver) not on the hypothetical roster.

In return, the Tigers would have pretty good depth with players like Reid, the younger brother of Eric Reid, and cornerbacks Henre Toliver (Arkansas) and Terrence Alexander (Stanford) added to the mix.

The secondary wouldn’t be as good, especially without Adams at safety, but it wouldn’t be a weakness.

Conclusion

So, in our fantasy world, how would an all-Louisiana LSU team do?

It would probably be a little better at linebacker and maybe receiver/tight end. It would not be as good on either line or in the secondary.

The bottom line is the talent Louisiana produces for a state with less than 5 million people is amazing. Maybe this team wouldn’t be as good as LSU’s current team. But when you break it down, it’s easily a Top 15 club.

Did we miss anybody? Should we have included more mid-major players, like UL-Lafayette star running back Elijah McGuire? Let us know in the comments below!