Where’s the star power? National Signing Day is Wednesday, and the Bayou Bash is here. But all the Tiger fans waiting to see what high school stars will don LSU caps will not be as excited as they were last season because this years’ class lacks something – star power. Rivals.com ranks the incoming Tigers’ class No. 6 in the nation, but only one athlete of the 25 commits has a five star rating – Spencer Ware. Last year’s class was ranked No. 2 by the same Web site and featured four five-stars: Chris Davenport, Craig Loston, Rueben Randle and Russell Shepard. The ’09 class had flair and hype. The ’10 class just doesn’t. The only news from this class in recent weeks seems to be decommitments and recruits choosing other schools. Four players decommitted from the 2010 class, three of them just last month. Wide receivers Mike Davis and Justin Hunter and defensive tackle Cassius Marsh all chose other schools over LSU. Davis chose Texas, Hunter committed to Tennessee and Marsh stayed closer to home and chose to attend UCLA. The Tigers need to fill the wide receiver position – especially with the graduation of receivers Brandon LaFell, Chris Mitchell and RJ Jackson. This further detracts from the class’s prestige because, unlike last year’s class, it doesn’t address a major need. The 2009 class featured a number of high-profile defensive players, like Loston and Davenport, which filled a gap for the Tigers coming off a terrible defensive year. None of these guys have the name recognition of the ’09 class. Nearly every Tiger fan knew Shepard’s name last year before he stepped foot on campus. Shepard’s personality hypnotized them, and his media friendliness put him constantly on their minds. The flair caused a greater interest in the class, and the other recruits gained more notoriety. The abilities of the ’09 class renewed the excitement around the LSU football team. The Tigers were coming off an 8-5 season most fans would like to forget, and the recruits brought hope for the 2009-10 season. Not many athletes from the No. 2-ranked class contributed to the 9-4 season, which culminated in a disappointing loss to Penn State. But Randle and Shepard did score two touchdowns each during the year. This year’s class isn’t bringing the buzz back to Tiger Stadium. None of the names have household recognition, and the class’s best-rated athletes don’t play sexy positions.’ Ware, the class’s lone five-star, is an athlete. He has the frame to play fullback – an important position, but not a flashy one.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Last year’s five-stars, Shepard and Randle, played quarterback and wide receiver in high school – both positions where highlight-reel plays could be made, further increasing the excitement surrounding them. This opinion isn’t to negate the talent of these prospects. They’re obviously talented or LSU wouldn’t have recruited them. Les Miles may not manage a game clock well, but he definitely has an eye for talent and a knack for getting said talent to don the purple and gold. There is a very good chance the 2010 class will make a major contribution to the Tigers next season. But they don’t have flair. But maybe flair isn’t what LSU needs. Maybe LSU needs a class of guys who feel they have something to prove because they didn’t receive the same hype as the class before them. Either way, the fans at the Bayou Bash, the fans following the recruiting action at home and even the recruits themselves will have to wait until the fall to see where the star power is. Amos Morale is a 22-year-old history major from Houston. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_AmosMorale3. — Contact Amos Morale at [email protected]