We have always seemed to struggle in terms of where players are ranked (3 star, 4 star, etc) when it comes to offensive linemen. We usually end up with a few 3 star linemen, maybe a 4 star thrown in the mix at most. This year we have secured 3 four star linemen (Lowe, Faulk, Ainsworth). Throw in a high-ceiling project in Williford as well as Downs playing center possibly, and this is what I consider our best efforts at recruiting solid O-linemen, by a wide margin.
LSU has had some offensive line classes that have ranked very high, it's just that some of them haven't panned out. I remember Dinardo having the #1 ranked OL class one year and almost all of them were busts. This is a great OL class for sure, but I'm not going to say the best by far.
On "paper" they look like a super class but OL recruits seem to be the hardest to gauge because they take so long to develop. I would guess that high rated offensive lineman may have the biggest bust percentage than any other group of players. You just never know what you are going to get contribution wise when its their time to play.
I meant from strictly a recruiting ranking standpoint. I am in no way forecasting their future successes.
I like the quality. Is this Miles (former o-line player) or Studwara, or somebody or something else, that is accounting for this? Or, all of the above? Does it make a diff. to an o-line recruit when talking to Miles, that he played o-line? (I doubt it makes a lot of diff., but it could get to be a tie breaker in LSU's favor) It may give Miles an advantage when assessing an o-line recruit, that he has great personal experience in what it takes to be successful. Whatever, I'm happy about it.
It probably will not be ranked as high as the OL class of '98, but surely it will produce better results. The '98 OL class on paper was unbelievable, unfortunately the class fell waaaaay short of living up to the hype. I believe Miles having been an OL and at a major university does indeed play dividends. If you tell an OL recruit you played OL at Michigan it gives you instant credibility that you know something about being an OL playing big time football.
Just 2 years ago we signed Barksdale, Blackwell, Jarvis Jones, Dworaczyk, Hebert, & Ernest McCoy - all six ranked 4 stars. Granted, two of those players were DL coming in and one has been kicked off the team, but that class is going to produce some stars, namely Barksdale & Dworaczyk (and Jones at OU). This class is very close to that one, but I don't think it surpasses it.
Well I counted Barksdale and Blackwell as D-linemen, as they were thought to be so when we got em. So that gives us 4 linemen from that class who were all 4 star. So, I agree, that one probably has the slight edge.
id guess its being a stable top 5 program and the lesticles on 4th down (linemen have to love that $hi+)
Miles emphasizes OL recruiting, which I would think makes OL recruits feel more wanted by us than other programs & helps. Also, coach Stud is awesome & has a proven record of developing Olinemen, which definitely helps. This year, 3 of our starting OL will be Miles recruits & should all be pretty good, with 2 of them All-SEC caliber. However, we've had a ton of attrition at the position under Miles, so we need to continue to recruit well.
