LSU Football 2022 Recruiting Class Continues to Fall in SI All-American Rankings
It's been a while since a "Hold That Tiger" tweet came from the account of coach Ed Orgeron. The purple and gold are in regular season mode but the 2022 recruiting class has stalled in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, LSU continued to slide in the SI All-American team rankings, dropping to No. 10 overall behind other prominent SEC programs like Alabama, Georgia and Texas A&M. There hasn't been a ton of great news on the recruiting trail for Orgeron and company, who haven't picked up a commitment since Catholic offensive linemen Emery Jones on July 30.
In the last month, highly touted Louisiana safety JaCoby Matthews has decommitted to the program and though LSU remains right in the thick of it for his services, Texas A&M and Alabama are making a strong push as well. Most recently, elite defensive lineman J'Mond Tapp announced his commitment to Texas and was a player the Tigers were really high on.
It makes landing the likes of another in-state edge rusher like Quency Wiggins all the more important. LSU is also in good standing with offensive lineman Julian Armella, receiver Shazz Preston and athlete Kendrick Law. Here's what SI All-American recruiting director John Garica had to say about the state of the Tigers' class.
"LSU opened as one of the top recruiting programs in the class of 2022 and remained in the top 10 for the September update, but there has been a considerable slide of late. It is partially due to some high-profile decommitments, but also the rise of other programs up the list like Oregon, Georgia, Texas and Texas A&M, each of which had three commitments or more in August. LSU didn't add to their list, and also lost the pledge of longtime wide receiver prospect AJ Johnson. It was similar in July, losing safety Jacoby Matthews, one of its class headliners.
The good news for Ed Orgeron's staff on the recruiting trail, though, is that there are considerable high level prospects remaining within state lines, including the two most recent decommitments (though Johnson is playing his 2020 season in Florida). Wide receiver Shazz Preston is considered LSU's to lose as is fellow SI99 prospect Kendrick Law on defense. Baton Rouge native Quency Wiggins, a promising defensive lineman, is also undecided and crosstown talent Le'Veon Moss recently backed off of his Alabama commitment -- so LSU won't have to look far to repair the perception of the slipping class.
If there is an in-state perception changer all in himself, look for LSU to push for Trevor Etienne. The high-profile recruitment of his older brother, Travis, is something that often comes up even as the NFL running back's college days lay behind us. Beating out 'Bama and Clemson for a back of that caliber would instantly play as national news. Of course LSU is in on several top prospects beyond state lines, too, including SI99 members Denver Harris, Evan Stewart, Devon Campbell, Omari Abor, Kamari Wilson, Harold Perkins and others."
LSU is still in very good standing with a number of elite recruits, both in and out of state. The main reason for dropping four spots is mostly because of the work the other programs have done on the recruiting trail. Plus the class is still headlined by quarterback Walker Howard, offensive lineman Will Campbell, tight end Jake Johnson and running back TreVonte Citizen, huge pillars for the future of this offense.
1. Penn State (No. 1 in August)
2. Notre Dame (4)
3. Alabama (2)
4. Ohio State (3)
5. Oregon (10)
6. Georgia (8)
7. Texas (12)
8. Texas A&M (7)
9. Clemson (5)
10. LSU (6)
11. Florida State (9)
12. Oklahoma (11)
13. Boston College (13)
14. Michigan (14)
15. South Carolina (17)
16. Rutgers (16)
17. North Carolina (21)
18. Virginia Tech (19)
19. Baylor (15)
20. Florida (25)
21. Arkansas (18)
22. Mississippi State (24)
23. West Virginia (23)
24. Iowa State (20)
25. Stanford (NR)
