One reason LSU hired Ed Orgeron is his ability to recruit highly sought-after high-school players.

He had done it throughout his college career and the Tigers are banking on him taking advantage of an elite crop in Louisiana in 2019 to rebuild the program into a national-championship contender.

But in the meantime, it has been Orgeron’s ability to lure players from junior colleges and other four-year colleges that has helped prevent LSU from falling off dramatically.

The Tigers needed an influx of playmakers on offense and defense, so they turned to Texas Tech and brought in a standout wide receiver and a standout defensive lineman, both of whom are eligible this season after sitting out a season.

The offensive line suddenly became youthful and thin last season, so Orgeron went to junior colleges to grab a couple of players who appear to be SEC-ready right away.

The place-kickers were unreliable last season, so in comes a super-accurate graduate transfer for this season.

The quarterbacks weren’t consistent enough during spring practice, so here comes another graduate transfer.

All in all, the LSU depth chart features nine players who came to LSU from other colleges and most of them are expected to be key contributors.

Here’s a closer look at the more mature recruits Orgeron has landed:

TE Thaddeus Moss

The transfer from N.C. State has started just three college games, but he has three years of eligibility remaining. Oh, and good genes too. He’s a son of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss.

CB Terrence Alexander

He played in 41 games, starting three, in four seasons at Stanford. He has just one year of eligibility remaining, but his arrival comes at a good time as projected starting cornerback Kristian Fulton recently saw his two-year suspension upheld by the NCAA,

DE Travez Moore

This transfer from Copiah-Lincoln Community College brings depth to an exceptionally talented Tigers defensive line.

WR Jonathan Giles

LSU has very little experience at wide receiver, but Giles is the exception. He played two seasons at Texas Tech and as a sophomore in 2016 he caught 69 passes for 1,158 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has two years left.

Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

DL Breiden Fehoko

He brings to the defense what Giles brings to the offense – a former Red Raider who’s expected to have an immediate impact and carry it on for two seasons. Fehoko (cover photo) was penciled in as a starting end before being moved to nose tackle while Ed Alexander works his way back from a knee problem. Feheko will probably be back at end at some point, but one way or another he’ll have an impact on the line.

OL Damien Lewis

He arrived from Northwest Mississippi Community College with two years of eligibility as well as the expectation that he would compete for playing time on the offensive line. But with starting right guard Ed Ingram’s indefinite suspension, Lewis is at least a short-term starter who has the potential to hang on to the position.

OT Badara Traore

He was the top-rated JUCO tackle in the country and begins his two-year career at LSU entrenched as the starter at right tackle.

PK Cole Tracy

Orgeron got tired of watching field goals sail wide right and wide left, so he brought in Tracy, who led Division II with 27 field goals and a .931 percentage last season at Assumption College.

QB Joe Burrow

The former Ohio State Buckeye has played in just 10 college games, started none and thrown a grand total of 39 passes, but Burrow is widely seen as the most important player on this year’s team. That might or might not prove to be the case, but his presence gives Orgeron and offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger a better chance of resolving the Tigers’ long-standing concerns at quarterback.