Fortunately we have replacements for all the players mentioned above. If Spears and Hill return this defense will be awesome next year. Surely.
We'll be preseaon No. 2. If Mauck and Hill leave with Webster and Clayton we may be ranked as low as 4.
It matters not. I'd just as soon be placed at about 20th. The respect shows up when you put up wins. Does make for interesting conversation though.
LSU will be in the top 5, but the position will depend on Matt Mauck. Mauck leaving and LSU counting on an untested redhsirt freshmen probably means #5 in the preseason poll. Mauck coming back puts us as #2 in my opinion. Out of all the juniors possibly going to the NFL, the one I don't want to see go is Corey Webster. Cover corners are the key to this defense. But with the outstanding game he had on Sunday, I think he will rate high enough to warrant a 1st round pick (although late first round), and I now think he will leave early. Marquis Hill is probably the one player that will least affect this team if he goes pro. Kirstin Pittman is a force to be reckoned with at defensive end and he is just a freshman. Claude Wroten will be an exceptional replacement for Chad Lavalais. The defensive line will be as good as ever. Michael Clayton will not affect us as much especially if we get Early Doucet and Xavier Carter in this year's recruiting to go along with Amp Hill from last year's recruiting. We will have the best wide receiver corp ever in LSU history. I don't think Clayton is leaving however just because he was ineffective with Derrick Strait covering him 1 on 1 for much of the night. He needs one more year to showcase his talents. And I also think Ben Wilkerson will stay for his senior season. Losing him will be a big blow since we are already losing 2 starters in the O-Line. Losing 3 is asking a bit much to replace in 1 year.
