Recruiting is the key to a program’s
future success and coaches must bring in the top talent if they are to keep
their programs among the nation’s elite. LSU is considered by most as one of the
nation’s Top 10 football programs and much of that credit goes to former Tiger
head coach Nick Saban for winning the 2003 BCS Championship and for bringing in
some of the top recruiting classes in the country during his five-year tenure in
Tiger Town. I say much of that credit goes to Saban because current head coach
Les Miles has kept the train rolling along by compiling a 15-4 record during his
short stint at the helm and by landing some big-time recruits in 2005 when that
class had only a few scholarships to give and by landing a consensus Top-10
class in 2006.
Miles has kept that momentum going
on the recruiting trail and if the Tigers can finish up strong on the field in
2006 he should reap the benefits and bring in a class that could be more highly
acclaimed than the 2006 group. LSU currently has 14 commitments for 2007 but if
you count Shomari Clemons, who plans to resign in February after failing to
qualify academically for 2006, then that number would be
15.
Today we are going to take a look at
each position and see who the Top Targets are to fill out the 2007 class as we
head into the middle of October. For added benefit, we will also take a look at
my 2007 projected depth chart for the Tigers with the current commitments
included, along with a look back at what each LSU player was rated by Scout.com
coming out of high school. I don’t place too big of an emphasis on star ratings
but I think some of you will find it interesting to see what some players were
rated coming out of high school.
Note: Some players were rated for at
a certain position coming out of high school but have since moved to another
position or they are forecast to do so in the spring. The Wish List contains the
guys that LSU is actively recruiting and it will be trimmed down again heading
into November.
2007 Projected Roster and 2007
Wish List
Quarterbacks
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
JaMarcus Russell
6-6
250
Sr. *****
(2003)
Matt Flynn
6-3
228
Sr.
****
(2002)
Ryan Perrilloux
6-3
222
So.
***** (2005)
Jarrett Lee
6-2
190
Fr.
**** (2007)
2007 Needs:
1
Commitments:
1
Needs Met
Halfbacks
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Alley Broussard
6-0
250
Sr.
****
(2003)
Charles Scott
5-11
221
So.
****
(2006)
Keiland Williams
5-11
223
So.
***** (2006)
R.J. Jackson
6-0
209
So.
****
(2005)
Richard Murphy
6-1
198
Fr.
***
(2006)
2007 Needs:
1
Commitments:
0
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
Joe McKnight 6-0 198 4.4
*****
Noel Devine 5-8 185 4.3
*****
Caleb King
5-11
196
4.4
*****
Enrique Davis 6-1 215 4.4
****
Shawnbrey McNeal 5-10 180 4.4
***
Fullbacks
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Jacob Hester
6-0
228
Sr.
***
(2004)
Shawn Jordan 5-11 241 Sr.
***
(2003)
Steven Korte
6-1
223
Jr.
***
(2005)
Quinn Johnson
6-2
238
Jr.
***
(2004)
Stevan Ridley
6-0
220
Fr.
*** (2007)
2007 Needs:
1
Commitments:
1
Needs Met
Wide
Receivers
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Early Doucet
6-0
207
Sr. *****
(2004)
Brandon LaFell
6-3
194
So.
****
(2005)
Jared Mitchell
5-11
192
So.
***
(2006)
Chris Mitchell
6-0
176
So.
***
(2006)
Ricky Dixon
6-2
216
Fr.
***
(2006)
Trindon Holliday
5-5
159
So.
**
(2005)
DeAngelo Benton
6-2
195
Fr.
**** (2007)
Toddrick Bajoie
6-2
200
Fr.
*** (2007)
2007 Needs:
4
Commitments:
2
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
Terrance Toliver
6-4
190
4.5
*****
Deonte Thompson 5-11 186 4.3
*****
Ron Brooks
6-0
170
4.5
****
Demetrius Byrd
6-2
195
4.5
*****
Dez Bryant
6-1
203
4.6
****
Gabriel Bryant
6-2
190
4.5
****
Brandon Gibson 6-2 190 4.5
****
Dion Lecorn
6-0
205
4.5
***
Joseph Hills
6-4
210
4.5
Not Rated Yet
Gilbert Moye
6-2
200
4.5
***
Alphonso Bryant
6-1
190
4.5
****
Co-Eric Riley
6-2
200
4.5
****
Lionel Breaux
6-0
185
4.5
***
Tight
Ends
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Richard Dickson
6-3
237
So
****
(2006)
Mit Cole 6-4 258 Sr.
***
(2004)
Andrew Wright 6-7 265 Sr.
NR
(2003)
J.D. Lott
6-4
232
Fr.
***
(2006)
Mitch Joseph
6-4
230
Fr.
**** (2007)
Jordan Hammond
6-4
225
Fr.
**** (2007)
Alex Russian 6-4 220 Fr.
*** (2007)
2007 Needs:
3
Commitments:
3
Needs Met
Offensive
Linemen
Centers
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Brett Helms
6-2
290
Jr.
***
(2004)
Ryan Miller
6-6
318
Jr.
****
(2004)
Matt Allen
6-3
285
Fr.
****
(2006)
2007 Needs:
1
Commitments:
0
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
T-Bob Hebert
6-3
270
4.9
***
Guards
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Will Arnold
6-4
319
Sr.
***
(2003)
Herman Johnson
6-7
351
Jr.
****
(2004)
Max Holmes
6-4
281
So.
***
(2004)
Steven Singleton
6-3
295
Fr.
****
(2006)
Andrew Decker
6-3
284
Jr.
*
(2004)
Kyle Anderson
6-5
275
So.
****
(2005)
2007 Needs:
1-2
Commitments:
0
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
Rishaw Johnson 6-4 300 5.3
***
Kevin Bryant
6-6
375
5.8
****
Nick Fairley
6-4
265
4.8
***
Ernest McCoy
6-5
330
5.3
***
Daniel Montet
6-5
285
5.3
Not Rated Yet
Matt Stone
6-3
305
5.4
Not Rated Yet
Tackles
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Ciron Black
6-5
314
So.
****
(2005)
Carnell Stewart 6-5 311 Sr.
****
(2003)
Zhamal Thomas
6-4
331
Fr.
***
(2006)
Mark Snyder
6-7
284
Fr.
**
(2006)
D’ Montreal Wilson
6-4
300
Fr.
**** (2007)
Josh Dworaczyk
6-6
270
Fr.
*** (2007)
2007 Needs:
2-3
Commitments:
2
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
Jarvis Jones
6-6
250
5.2
****
Marquis Franklin
6-6
320
5.5
***
Phil Loadholt
6-7
330
5.6
*** (2006)
Jatavious Jackson 6-4 270 5.2 Not Rated
Yet
Defensive
Ends
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Tyson Jackson
6-5
292
Jr.
**
(2004)
Ricky Jean-Francois 6-3 281 So. **** (2005)
Rahim Alem
6-3
252
So.
****
(2005)
Kirston Pittman
6-4
254
Jr.
****
(2003)
Tremaine Johnson
6-2
273
Jr.
***
(2004)
Tim Washington
6-3
265
Jr.
****
(2004)
Lazarius Levingston 6-4 258 Fr.
***
(2006)
2007 Needs:
3
Commitments:
0
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
Luther Davis
6-3
265
4.8
*****
Will Blackwell
6-4
295
4.8
****
Jason Peters
6-3
265
4.8
***
Rae Sykes
6-4
230
4.6
****
Brian Coulter
6-5
255
4.6
****
Frank Alexander
6-5
225
4.7
***
Wilson Youman 6-5 255 4.8 Not Rated
Yet
Defensive
Tackles
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Glenn Dorsey
6-2
299
Sr. *****
(2004)
Marlon Favorite
6-1
295
Jr.
****
(2004)
Charles Alexander 6-3 294 Jr.
***
(2004)
Al Woods
6-5
295
So.
***** (2006)
Lyle Hitt
6-2
284
So.
****
(2005)
Kentravis Aubrey
6-3
285
Fr.
*** (2007)
2007 Needs:
2-3
Commitments:
1
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
Charles Deas
6-4
300
5.1
****
(2006)
John Brown
6-1
285
4.9
*****
Joseph Barksdale
6-5
315
4.9
****
Ted Laurent 6-2 290 4.9 ****
Cameron Hayward
6-6
270
4.9
****
Rolando Melancon
6-1
270
4.8
***
Drake Nevis
6-2
290
5.0
***
Walter Thomas
6-5
335
5.3
*****
Linebackers
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Derry Beckwith
6-1
235
Jr.
***
(2005)
Ali Highsmith
6-1
225
Sr.
***
(2003)
Luke Sanders
6-5
235
Sr. ****
(2004)
Jacob Cutrera
6-4
227
So.
**** (2006)
Perry Riley
6-1
220
So.
***
(2006)
Kelvin Sheppard
6-3
228
Fr.
***
(2006)
Derrick Odom
6-2
202
Fr. ****
(2006)
Shomari Clemons
6-2
200
Fr.
*** (2006)
2007 Needs: 1-
2
Commitments:
1
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
Josh Bynes
6-3
228
4.7
****
Brandon Hicks
6-2
205
4.6
****
Chris Walker 6-2 215 4.6
***
Von Miller
6-3
218
4.5
****
Grant Fleming
6-2
205
4.5
Not Rated Yet
Dusty Rust
6-3
212
4.7
Not Rated Yet
Cornerbacks
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Jonathan Zenon
6-0
178
Sr.
***
(2003)
Chevis Jackson
6-0
190
Sr.
***
(2004)
Chris Hawkins 6-1 181 So. ***
(2005)
Jai Eugene
5-11
184
Fr. *****
(2006)
Tyson Andrus 6-0 170 So. ***
(2004)
John Williams 5-10 185 Fr.
**** (2007)
Delvin Breaux
6-0
185
Fr.
*** (2007)
2007 Needs:
3
Commitments:
2
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
Christian Scott
6-0
195
4.5
****
Brandon Paul 5-10 185 4.4
****
James Scott
5-10
165
4.5
****
Moses Jenkins 6-1 175 4.5
***
Terry Carter 5-10 170 4.5
**
Josh Victorian 5-10 170 4.5 Not Rated
Yet
Kendrick Cellestine 5-10 185 4.5
***
Safeties
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Curtis Taylor
6-3
204
Jr.
***
(2004)
Craig Steltz 6-2 204 Sr.
****
(2004)
Danny McCray
6-1
205
So.
***
(2006)
Harry Coleman
6-2
205
So.
**
(2004)
Troy Giddens
5-11
185
So.
***
(2006)
2007 Needs:
2
Commitments:
0
Top Targets
Ht.
Wt.
40
Star Rating
Chad Jones
6-2
220
4.4
****
Stefoin Francois
6-1
195
4.6
****
Mark Barnes 6-2 195 4.5
*****
Tarence Calais 5-11 185 4.5
***
Sam Proctor
6-1
200
4.5
***
Specialists
Kickers/Punters
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
Colt David
5-9
182
Jr.
NR
(2003)
Patrick Fisher
6-5
253
Sr. ****
(2003)
Brady Dalfrey
6-0
207
Jr.
NR
(2003)
Josh Jasper
6-0
165
Fr.
** (2007)
Andrew Crutchfield
6-0
175
Fr.
** (2007)
2007 Needs:
2
Commitments:
2
Needs Met
Deep Snappers
Name
Ht.
Wt.
Exp.
Star Rating & Class
P.J. Zimmerman
6-3
269
Jr.
**
(2004)
Jacob O’Hair
6-2
224
Sr.
***
(2006)