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With just five seniors in LSU’s starting lineup, projecting early NFL departures and this year’s recruiting needs is an educated guess at best.
But four days after Christmas, LSU puts a bow on this season in the Texas Bowl against Texas Tech. When the final horn sounds, LSU can begin putting the finishing touches on its 2016 recruiting class with National Signing Day less than six weeks out.
Here are LSU’s top three priorities for the current recruiting cycle:
Secondary: Losing after 2015: FS Jalen Mills, CB Tre’Davious White (likely early departure).
Mills is the only senior in the Tigers’ secondary. White is projected to be a first-round draft pick, which explains his early exit. But LSU has a host of sophomores and juniors poised to step into those positions. Because of that, depth shouldn’t be an issue, and the Tigers also return their interceptions leader in sophomore Jamal Adams. Three other players, sophomore John Battle, freshman Kevin Toliver II and Donte Jackson each had an interception this season.
Linebacker: Losing after 2015: Deion Jones, Lamar Louis.
Losing Jones, a three-year letterman and leading tackler this season, will be a blow to the Tigers in terms of experience. The weakside linebacker also led the team with 11.5 tackles for a loss. Louis is also a three-year letterman at strongside backer. No other position on the team starts two seniors. LSU’s reserves include three juniors and two sophomores.
Running back: With Leonard Fournette likely ticketed for the NFL after 2016, depth should be a priority even with Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams among the backups.
Other positions LSU should target: QB, OL, DL
CURRENT RECRUITING CLASS
LSU has 16 verbal commits led by Savion Smith (6-foot-1, 175 pounds), a five-star cornerback from Bradenton, Florida. The Tigers have three other defensive back commits, including in-state four stars Andraez Williams (6-2, 166) from Shreveport and Cameron Lewis (6-1, 192) from Monroe. Eric Monroe (6-0, 180) is another defensive back commit from Houston.
Ten of the 16 are four-stars including DT Edwin Alexander (6-2, 310) from Hammond, Louisiana, ranked 27th nationally.
The Tigers are ranked third in the SEC and sixth nationally, according to 247 sports.
OUTLOOK
Amid the Les Miles turmoil at the end of the season, the Tigers lost QB commit Feleipe Franks, a 6-6, 219-pound prospect from Crawfordville, Florida. Finding a consistent, playmaking quarterback has been a problem for Miles and his staff. It’s difficult to go an entire class without signing a quarterback or running back, and not pay for it in a year or two, but that’s what LSU is facing.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
