Another year, another LSU recruiting class without a top-tier quarterback.
It seems as if LSU’s process for recruiting elite quarterbacks is as antiquated as the fax machines it doesn’t receive their national letters of intent on.
Four-star Feleipe Franks was supposed to be the quarterback of the future at 6 foot-6 with a .50 caliber rifle for an arm, but after being committed to LSU since June 2014, he spurned the Tigers for Florida in November. As much as I’d like to blame athletic director Joe Alleva for losing Franks, he visited Florida two consecutive weeks before the Les-Miles-is-getting-fired debacle. That was more likely the last straw than a decision maker.
The Tigers did manage to secure three-star quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr., but he wasn’t even offered until Jan. 19, after LSU struck out with Franks and its late run at Dwayne Haskins Jr. proved moot.
LSU also royally dropped the ball in filing an obvious hole at linebacker again. Four-star outside linebacker commit Erick Fowler ended up signing with Texas, leaving four-star recruits Michael Divinity and Rahssan Thornton as the only true linebackers in the class.
But it’s hard to be too cynical about a consensus top-six class in the nation.
It’s unclear if Miles used sorcery, black magic or wizardry to bring this massive collection of talent together after the rumors of his demise, having to hire a new defensive coordinator a month ago and losing recruiting coordinator Frank Wilson three weeks before National Signing Day.
Most impressively, Miles put a fence around Louisiana this year, securing nine of the top 10 players in the state to support a class that features two five-star recruits and 16 four-star prospects, according to recruiting service 247Sports.
One glance at LSU’s loot and something is sure — LSU will have no shortage of talent at defensive line and in the secondary for the next four years.
Fortifying an already-menacing line returning all four starters from last year, defensive line coach Ed Orgeron is stockpiling a terrifying collection of players with the additions of Rashard Lawrence, Edwin Alexander, Glen Logan, Andre Anthony and Caleb Roddy.
Meanwhile, LSU’s most impressive haul lies in the secondary as defensive backs coach Corey Raymond bolsters “Defensive Back University” with two of the top five cornerbacks in the nation in Kristian Fulton and Saivion Smith, adding No. 3 safety Eric Monroe, No. 13 safety Cameron Lewis and No. 20 cornerback Andraez Williams.
The offensive side of the ball didn’t get much love on National Signing Day since wide
receivers Stephen Sullivan and Dee Anderson and running back Devin White enrolled early, but Miles filled out positions of need with two more wide receivers, a tight end and four offensive linemen, including 6-foot-7.5-inch behemoth Willie Allen.
In the end, the strength of this class should mask the obvious holes at quarterback and linebacker, especially considering the Tigers are returning 17 starters from last season.
But Miles and company should start pursuing those two positions for next season’s class today if they hope to compete after Leonard Fournette is no longer on campus to put the team on his back.
Jacob Hamilton is a 21-year-old political science junior from Slidell, Louisiana.