Amid the weekly battles fought between the sidelines in college football stadiums around the nation, another war rages on that flies under the eyes of the public.
High school prospects across the country are putting on shows every Friday night and committing to collegiate programs, as the 2014 football recruiting classes are in the process of rounding out.
LSU began grabbing top-tier recruits a season ago, picking up four-star talents Edward Paris Jr. (safety), Jacory Washington (tight end) and Donnie Alexander (outside linebacker) early in 2013. 
But the program is still missing several keys to put this year’s class in the upper echelon of the country.
Fifteen recruits have joined the Tigers’ 2014 class, and a number of other talents have expressed interest in committing to the Tigers for next season. Of those 15, a dozen are ESPN four-star prospects, and 10 are top-300 recruits.
That being said, LSU’s current class is ranked 10th in the nation by ESPN, 13th by Rivals.com and 15th by Scout.com, but there’s plenty of work left to be done.
“It is a pretty small class so far,” said Kynon Codrington, Rivals.com’s Southeast college football recruiting analyst. “When you look at the class overall, it’s pretty good with the chance to get better. It’s a solid class so far, but they’re in the position with guys like [Laurence] Jones and [Leonard] Fournette, and it could be a special group.”
Jones, a four-star safety recruit according to Rivals, is considering a number of Southeastern Conference schools, with programs like LSU, Alabama and Arkansas extending him offers. The 6-foot-2-inch, 208-pound Monroe, La. native would be the second quality safety prospect in the class along with Paris.
The name on everyone’s mind, though, is Fournette.
Fournette, a St. Augustine running back and the top recruit in the nation according to ESPN and Scout, has stolen plenty of the spotlight in recent weeks, and he will likely continue to do so over the next four months.
Fournette recently made an appearance on ESPN2 when St. Augustine battled John Curtis High School, as he showed off his talents by rushing for 262 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-28 victory. 
“He’s the headliner and rightfully so,” Codrington said. “He has the chance to be a feature back for you. He’s the developed talent for this class, and [LSU] is going against its rival in the SEC West in Alabama, so not only is he a must-get for the program, but he’s a must-get because you don’t want to be lining up against him for the next three or four years if he winds up in Tuscaloosa.”
The Tigers have already lost one commitment to the Crimson Tide. Five-star West Monroe offensive lineman Cameron Robinson committed to Alabama in early September.
Looking at how freshman running backs have found success at LSU in the past, Fournette would likely see his share of snaps in Tiger Stadium if he were to join the squad next season. The war for the 6-foot-1, 225-pound running back will rage on until he makes an announcement later this year.
LSU will look to address a number of needs with this year’s class, too.
With the potential losses of junior receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry to the NFL Draft, the squad will have several holes to fill when practice begins in the spring.
This is where Rivals five-star prospect and River Ridge, La. native Malachi Dupre comes into play.
According to Codrington, LSU has a slight lead on the 6-foot-4, 175-pound receiver from John Curtis, and he said he likes his chances of Dupre staying close to home in Baton Rouge.
The success of the 2014 recruiting class goes back to defense — especially at defensive back.
Besides Paris, the Tigers have only received one other commitment from a defensive back, three-star safety John Battle IV from Hallandale Beach, Fla.
With five-star defensive back recruits Jalen Tabor and Tony Brown still waiting to commit, LSU has two potential prospects who could help add to an already young secondary that is seeing playing time for the Tigers in 2013.
“I think secondary help is kind of a position in need right now,” Codrington said. “Look for them to maybe address some of those needs, but this is LSU, and they always seem to find a way to rebuild and reload as they continue to close out this class.”
“[Fournette is] the developed talent for this class, and [LSU] is going against its rival in the SEC West in Alabama, so not only is he a must-get for the program, but he’s a must-get because you don’t want to be lining up against him for the next three or four years if he winds up in Tuscaloosa.”