Not every Bayou Bengal hails from the Bayou State.
 
Senior linebacker Kelvin Sheppard comes from Stone Mountain, Ga., junior cornerback Patrick Peterson grew up in Pompano Beach, Fla., and sophomore wide receiver Russell Shepard hails from Houston.
 
But only five of LSU’s 17 commitments from the class of 2011 reside outside Louisiana. Shea Dixon, managing editor of TigerSportsDigest.com, credits the wealth of talent within the state’s borders for lowering the number of out-of-state recruits.
 
“There’s so much in-state talent, there’s no need to spend time outside the state when so many kids in-state are just as good or just much better,” Dixon said.
 
Coaches typically turn outside Louisiana when needs develop that can’t be satisfied with in-state talent, said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Mike Scarborough. So was the case at quarterback and linebacker for LSU.
 
The Tigers received a commitment Aug. 6 from three-star quarterback Stephen Rivers. The Athens, Ala., native and younger brother of San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers threw for 2,200 yards and 23 touchdowns his junior season.
 
At 6 feet 2 inches and 200 pounds, Rivers throws with the same unconventional throwing motion as his brother, and Dixon considers him to be a project.
 
“You get him into camp, and you like his size, and you like his last name, and you like what he’s able to do,” Dixon said. “He’s a guy you don’t want to pass on but don’t want to throw into the fire his redshirt freshman year.”
 
LSU’s other notable out-of-state commitment, four-star linebacker Trevon Randle, has the kind of speed and athleticism to fit well in defensive coordinator John Chavis’ scheme, said Scout.com recruiting analyst Sonny Shipp.
 
The League City, Texas, native, who will enroll early at LSU, is athletic enough to play both sides of the football. Last season, he ran for 386 yards and 12 touchdowns, made 152 tackles and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
 
“LSU has had to go out of state a lot lately as far as linebackers go,” Shipp said. “And to get a kid like that this early in the process was a big get by the entire staff.”
 
The Tigers could still be looking to add another out-of-state quarterback or linebacker, Dixon said.
 
Former University of Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger tops the list of targets at quarterback. Mettenberger transferred to Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., after being dismissed from the Georgia football team in April before pleading guilty to two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.
 
“I think there were some initial concerns,” Dixon said about Mettenberger’s off-the-field issues. “But they’ve smoothed that out. I think that since they’re pursuing him and have offered him [a scholarship] that everything has checked out and everything’s clear.”
 
The Watkinsville, Ga., native had been competing with redshirt freshman Aaron Murray for the starting job at Georgia before his dismissal.
 
“He’s looking to get back into a big-time environment,” Dixon said. “Mettenberger is leaps and bounds ahead in terms of development, and pressing him would be paramount for [LSU] right now.”
 
LSU also has its eye set on five-star linebacker Travis Hughes, who will be visiting Baton Rouge on Oct. 1. Much like Randle, the Virginia Beach, Va., native plays on both sides of the ball, amassing 79 tackles and 1,312 rushing yards in his junior season.
 
“You pick up a guy like him, and you have two of the top linebackers who play different positions,” Dixon said.
 
Scarborough acknowledged that LSU may have to wait before some of the out-of-state recruits make their final decisions.
 
“A lot of them are just sitting back and waiting to see what kind of football season LSU has,” Scarborough said.
 
 
 
 
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Contact Hunter Paniagua at [email protected]