It’s been quite a ride in Baton Rouge of late. After the “Les Miles is getting fired” chatter before the Texas A&M game in November, Miles and his staff have had quite a few wins, including winning the Texas Bowl in dominating fashion (56-27) against Texas Tech, hiring a major upgrade at defensive coordinator in Wisconsin’s Dave Aranda and assembling the top recruiting class in the country.
Speaking of that class, the Tigers aren’t finished. Here are some important questions and answers concerning the rest of the ride as we are now a mere eight days from National Signing Day.
Can LSU finish with the nation’s No. 1 class?
The short answer is yes, but so much depends on what other schools land which prospects when it comes to calculating team rankings that it isn’t a given that the Tigers end up there, even with a reasonably good close. That being said, LSU is sitting at only 22 commits and holds the top spot, so there’s a great chance that the Tigers can hang on to it provided the numbers work out with the final members of the class. It’s not as if LSU is sitting there at 25 or 26 and the next 3-4 schools have 18-19 and thus a longer runway to catch the Tigers.
What impresses you the most about the LSU class?
Well, the Tigers landing highly-touted defensive backs out of Texas and Florida is something that has been a trend during the past 2-3 cycles, but it’s still of note that Saivion Smith (Bradenton, Fla./IMG Academy) and Eric Monroe (Houston, Texas/North Shore) are both LSU-bound (Smith is already there as an early enrollee).
Corey Raymond does as good of a job as anyone recruiting the secondary on a national level. This class obviously is strong on the interior defensive line as the two elite in-state prospects — Rashard Lawrence (Monroe, La./Neville) and Ed Alexander (Hammond, La./St. Thomas Aquinas) elected to stay in-state. Glen Logan (Destrehan, La.) has a very big upside.
One thing people may not talk about that intrigues me is the size within the wide receiver class. Stephen Sullivan (6-foot-5, 230 pounds), Dee Anderson (6-5, 205), Drake Davis (6-4, 215) and Da’Monte Coxie (6-3, 170) all have above average to superior height at that position. If this entire group develops, they are going to catch a lot of jump balls.
What are the Tigers going to do at quarterback?
It is a fair question to ask, whether signing the top class isn’t diminished a bit if LSU doesn’t ultimately land a signal caller.
I do, however, think they will and I think it will end up being in-state product Lindsey Scott Jr. from Zachary. Scott was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year this past season and is a special player. He threw for 3,040 yards and 33 touchdowns and rushed for 1,963 yards and 28 touchdowns in leading his team to a state championship.
Scott is a winner, he has a good arm and is electric with the ball in his hands. Every attribute he has is an advantage in today’s college football, particularly in the SEC where it’s tough to slow down the opposing pass rush because of the amount of defensive line talent. A quarterback like Scott at the college level can be absolute kryptonite for even the best defenses.
Unlike current quarterback Brandon Harris, who possessed similar skills coming out of high school, Scott has better intangibles and has been extremely productive. He may not be a savior this coming season, but he can be quite good. He’s scheduled to officially visit LSU this weekend and the Tigers have a great shot at landing him. Don’t overlook this kid.
Who is the one major target left that could put this class over the top?
There are plenty of elite guys left, but I will go with two elite guys in the secondary — one is in-state cornerback Kristian Fulton, who is the No. 1 overall in-state prospect, and the other is south Florida cornerback Trayveon Mullen. Mullen’s recruitment is a three-way battle with Clemson, Florida State and LSU.
I hear Les Miles and members of his staff are set to be in south Florida on Tuesday. Will the Tigers be able to pull him? Who knows, but if LSU lands Fulton and Mullen, you could make a strong, strong argument is the best secondary class in the country and one of the best of the past 3-4 cycles on paper.
Recruiting writer for Saturday Down South
