LSU Football Moves Up in SI All-American Team Rankings for 2021 Class

With 20 players on board for the 2021 class, LSU put together one of the most impressive classes during the Early Signing Period. As a result, the Tigers made a slight improvement in the SI All-American team rankings, jumping Clemson for the No. 4 class in the country.

No elite recruiting program dealt with the fluctuation on the commitment list like the Tigers did, but it ended up adding a pair of SI99 members (DL Maason Smith, RB Armoni Goodwin) and losing just two (Keanu Koht, JoJo Earle) amid the chaos. Not inking LB Raesjon Davis bears watching

A trio of LSU signees, Corey Kiner, Jack Bech and Smith were named to the 2020 SI All-American first-team in 2020 on offense and defense. Not signing Davis does have to be a concern as USC is lurking in the waters.

The California native officially decommitted from the Tigers on Monday with the Trojans and Ohio State expected to show interest in addition to LSU.

Some of that might have to do with what Davis and some of the other recruits waiting to see what LSU does with its coaching staff before committing to the program fully. LSU coach Ed Orgeron said the priority moving forward is the offensive line and that there is now a priority on the players that the program will sign.

"After we look at the signing class, we're gonna put in priority who we need sign and what's best for our football team," Orgeron said. "Everyone that was committed I gave them the chance to sign and that doesn't mean I won't sign them back. But now there's a priority list."

High on the list is Virginia offensive tackle Tristan Leigh as well as Louisiana receiver Brian Thomas. The program will likely also dip into the graduate transfer market for an additional offensive linemen. Five spots remain after the most recent addition of Florida defensive lineman Bryce Langston.

SI All-American recruiting director John Garcia offered his thoughts on the strong start to the class and why the Tigers moved up in the most recent team rankings:

No program in the country had a more dramatic week than LSU. It featured a bit of everything from new pledges, flips, defections and even a cap-the-week win in Florida pass rusher Bryce Langston on Friday just before the Early Signing Period ended. It entered the week No. 5 in the rankings, after some December decommitments. By the end of the ESP it would actually uptick a spot to No. 4 despite two major losses to Alabama on Wednesday -- meaning there was still somehow more good than bad.

There's little doubt the apex of the good came in the afternoon when SI99 defensive lineman Maason Smith elected to stay in Louisiana when all was said and done. It was a monumental win at a major position of need, against a national list of blue-blood programs. Smith also headlines what's become the strength of the class, its front-seven. Smith and fellow new signee Bryce Langston offer inside-out pressure on all three downs while Landon Jackson enters from the edge with about all the sack production a prep prospect could accumulate

We'll wait and see if the group stamps its status among the nation's best in February should it retain the longtime commitments of linebacker Raesjon Davis and pass rusher Savion Jones. Even without them, JUCO linebacker Navonteque Strong looks physically ready to contribute right now and Zavier Carter may develop into a hybrid inside-out type with pass rushing upside on third down.

Of course the secondary group plays strong in Baton Rouge, once again, with SI99 nickel Sage Ryan joined by SI99 safety Derrick Davis Jr. Matthew Langlois and Damarius McGhee were senior-risers who played their way into Tiger consideration, displaying some flexibility on the evaluation front from one of the best in the business in Corey Raymond.