Three Questions That Will Define the LSU Football 2022 Recruiting Class
A closer look at what is next for LSU recruiting, the most important position for 2022 recruiting, and the principal ingredient for LSU in defeating Alabama along the recruiting trail.
There’s much to be excited about with LSU’s recruiting class thus far, but there’s also much to be done. Here’s a closer look at three LSU recruiting questions that will largely shape the Tigers’ 2022 recruiting class.
What’s Next?
LSU’s coaching staff already accomplished the goal of lining up several official visits, as we wrote about yesterday: A Look at Some of the Top 2022 Prospects to Announce Visits to LSU Football. Now, the Tigers coaching staff can be more selective when deciding which other prospects need to be prioritized for official visits.
Additionally, LSU coach Ed Orgeron and his coaching staff could make a big splash with one or two commitments from that initial group of visitors. When a national recruit selects any given program, that will be news consumed by other top-notch prospects. A domino-effect can take place.
For instance, if the Tigers could secure a commitment from Shemar Stewart this summer, his public announcement to attend LSU would be huge news for the defensive end position, but potentially every other position on the board as well. Stewart will trek to Baton Rouge this coming June 2.
Beyond a major commitment this summer, LSU fans need to remember that recruiting is a marathon and not a sprint. Regardless of whether Stewart, or any other official visitor, makes a public pledge to the Tigers this summer does not signify success or failure. LSU will need to continue to recruit each and every player on its target list as if that player is yet to make a decision. That’s recruiting in 2021.
The Best Way to Allocate LSU’s Scholarships to Balance the Roster?
This may be the most difficult question for the LSU coaching staff. The reason being that 17-year-olds are all but impossible to predict. As noted above, a commitment does not mean all that much in today’s recruiting landscape. Therefore, LSU needs to recruit every prospect like that prospect who has not yet made a college decision. With that in mind, the offensive line is an enormous need for the 2022 LSU recruiting class and it should not be a position LSU holds back on allocating scholarships for the 2022 recruiting class.
At the very least, the Tigers need to land four offensive linemen, and five would be ideal. With Kelvin Banks (June 2) and Malik Agbo (June 11) visiting LSU soon, the Tigers will have a better understanding of where they stand with the Texas and Washington prospects respectively.
If the LSU coaching staff can secure one or both of their commitments, it would be huge news for the entire LSU program. The Tigers only secured two offensive line commitments within the class of 2021. Adding a power player like Banks and/or Agbu to the commitments of Will Campbell, Bo Bordelon, and Lucas Taylor would provide LSU with a tremendous offensive line class, and one that’s sorely needed. Beyond the offensive line, LSU’s roster is in pretty good shape when discussing scholarships per position.
Securing the offensive line talent will be a key barometer of how good the 2022 LSU will be, and a primary component for that discussion would be battling with Alabama’s front seven for years to come.
How Can LSU Out Recruit Alabama?
At the end of the day, Alabama is the standard in college football. That’s just a fact. The Crimson Tide starts that process with recruiting. They find a few hidden gems, yes, but the primary way that Alabama wins on the gridiron is through signing elite talent each and every national signing day.
LSU is almost always near the top of the recruiting rankings as well. The difference between a LSU and Alabama recruiting class can be quite miniscule. Still, one player can make a significant difference, and it oftentimes begins with a player from Louisiana.
Alabama’s 2021 recruiting class only included one Louisiana prospect, Kaine Williams, S, 6-foot-2, 205, New Orleans (La.) John Ehret, but he was a really talented player. He’s a microcosm of how Alabama continually raids Louisiana for top prospects.
The 2020 Alabama roster included Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith from Amite (La.) High School. He grew up an hour from Death Valley, yet he decided against attending LSU to play for the arch rival. Perhaps LSU liked other receiver and safety targets more, but every time Alabama signs a Louisiana prospect there’s also the continual process of Louisiana players watching a recruit go to Alabama. The overall impact is really important to consider.
Imagine if Smith played for LSU the past four years. Yes, one player can make a tremendous difference. No question Alabama will mention Smith each time it recruits the state of Louisiana. That’s something the LSU coaching staff must overcome.
The state of Louisiana is loaded just about every recruiting cycle, and the Tigers need to do an even better job of signing the top in-state talent. Smith aside, there are many recruits LSU lost over the course of the past ten years to Alabama that helped build their dynasty.
Therefore, job No. 1 moving forward will be for LSU to win head-to-head recruiting battles against Alabama for in-state prospects. The Tigers are doing a great job with the class of 2022 in-state recruits, but it’s a long way to national signing day. For LSU to catch and even surpass Alabama’s recruiting prowess, it begins in the state of Louisiana.
