LSU verbals to NSD (starting at count of 19)

From what I've read, LSU should be able to sign 26 with 1 dated back to the 2012 class via early enrollment and still not exceeding 85 scholarships in Feb 2013. So, assuming 7 scholarships are left (no decommits from the current 19), here is my predicted list of the remaining 7 commits/signees.

3 DL of the following 4 or all 4 if Lawson moves to the OL... Williams DE Prevot DE Gilmore DT Crayton DT {I didn't forget Beckwith here but I have a gut feeling that LSU won't get both Williams and Beckwith...just intuition on my part}
1 OL (I have no idea who but might be Lawson as listed above with a DL to OL switch)
2 DBs (Willis and Robinson)
1 WR/DB Jefferson

Once again, this list above is who I think LSU WILL GET. Obviously, I would have RSJ on the list if this was a wish list since he is the best WR in the nation by some rankings. I see RSJ recommitting to Texas.

If any of the above falls through, I would hope that LSU takes Adam Taylor the RB from Alief, TX. I know about the 2014 signing class for LA RBs but after only signing 1 RB in the 2012 class (Jeremy Hill) and almost for sure losing Ware and Ford early after this season for the NFL draft, I would like to see the RBs spread out among the classes. Only taking 1 RB total in 2 years would worry me, regardless of what 2014 promises at RB.

 

I'm starting to read a lot of football stuff lately and I'm starting to get in a football mood. I have no idea who they might sign, but here are some of my thoughts on some the recruits that are being talked about.

First of all Tevin Lawson. I don't know why folks are expecting him to move to the OL. He's a DT all the way. It's hard to evaluate a DT just from film, but Lawson's is telling. He's got a tight body and can really run. Also, if you haven't noticed, Miles only recruits O linemen over 300 lbs.. Way over. Gilmore, who everybody seems high on, is about the same size as Lawson and runs like a fat girl. He might get an offer, but I don't know. Rod Crayton is the real deal IMO and I'd like to get him but he lives just down the road from Auburn so I guess he's a long shot. Another player I'd really really like to get is DeMarcus Walker from Florida, but he's also a long shot I guess. I understand both Crayton and Walker will be at the linemen camp this week so maybe we got a shot.

 

Tevin Lawson is mentioned a lot on the OL because he started out on the OL and has played most of his games in HS there. That is what I have heard. In the 2nd half of last season, he moved over to defense. Second, I just looked some recent OL that LSU signed (their weight listed by Rivals on signing day) just in the last few years and "that only recruits O linemen over 300 lbs" is not correct. Porter 280, Washington 290, Collins 285, White 280, Hawkins 285. Right now (before his SR season), Lawson is listed by Rivals at 275. I have no idea where you saw Gilmore run but IMO you have misevaluated the guy and haven't seen the same video I have. I have seen seen him run in and out of tires in an area and looked darn nimble to me for a guy weighing 275 and also seen him on game video. There is a reason the guy is ranked so high...he flat out looks that good and that is why John Chavis himself went to N Carolina for an in home visit (OK, OK, that and because John Chavis is from N Carolina originally). BTW, some services have him as a DE (Rivals for one) when clearly IMO he is DT material. My guess is he was right near the top of the DT board...would be for me. I don't think that Crayton is a long shot and I agree with you about him. Also, according to Rivals and Scouts, Crayton has no offer from Auburn so that pretty much ends that possibility (going to Auburn) unless that changes. I think that Walker is a long shot as you mentioned because one list I saw had him with several schools above LSU in his preference. But as you said, you get these guys into a camp, and who knows. Herron wasn't supposed to go to LSU either. Most had Miss State on top (he even said he had MSU on top BTW until recently) and some had him going to Tennessee.

 

Maybe he meant he runs like Lolo Jones ??

 

I'm afraid he might be closer to a fat girl's speed that Lolo Jones, but then again who isn't? I have included a couple of links of Gilmore...one the workout clip and the other some SO game footage. To be fair, this is not JR footage but why in the world Gilmore is listed by some services as a DE (like Rivals) is amazing to me. And yes I know he is playing DE in the clips but the services are supposed to project his college position. Unless he has dramatically sped up since his SO season, he is NOT a DE. Having said that, he clearly is a very good player but his position is DT...strong enough to play inside and his speed is fine for a DT. The main weakness I see is he seems to have a tendency "to take off plays". However, maybe his team was ahead 35-0 or maybe he was just tired but on some plays, he wasn't going full throttle to say the least. Anyway, LSU is correct in wanting to sign him. Clearly he needs to be redshirted...I don't put him in the Anthony Johnson category but I could see him starting for LSU in a few years.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/video/recruiting-football/VTO-Sports-Greg-Gilmore-1094376

 

I don't want to get too negative on Gilmore (and I'm not that negative really) so I'll just say that Chavis probably went to N.C. to visit the folks. If he was looking for a top line DT there's a lot better places he could have gone.

LSU will probably offer because we are getting behind the curve on DTs. We signed NONE last year and and have only one committed this year who everybody is saying will be moved to OG and our hopes now resting on Gilmore.

I'm looking at the LSU roster and this is what I see on the OL. Trai Turner-332, Corey White-328, La'el Collins-320, Jonah Austin-322, Alex Hurst-340, Chris Davenport-320, Evan Washington-326, Chris Faulk-325, Vidal Alexander-315, Derek Edinburg-325. I don't think Lawson is being looked at as an O lineman. I actually like Lawson as a DT better than Gilmore.

As mentioned before we signed NO DTs last year.After this year we lose Downs and probably Logan and after next year probably Anthony Johnson and maybe even Ego Ferguson. I'm a little disappointed about where we're at with DT recruits this year.

Take solace though. I've been wrong before...

...but on the other hand I've been right before too.

 

Obviously you don't believe the services at all AND you don't believe the offers racked up by recruits. I will compare the services ratings in a second between Gilmore and Lawson, but let's go by offers. To be fair, Lawson committed early in the cycle but Gilmore had almost all of these offers before Lawson even committed, and Lawson had only a couple. Gilmore has Alabama, Auburn, California, Clemson, Florida, Georga, LSU, the Carolina teams, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, USC, Washington, and others. Were all those commitable offers? Who knows, but that could be said for almost every recruit. The bottom line is that is about an impressive list as you will ever find and the videos of him confirms why to me. Now the comparisons in ratings vs Lawson FWIW. Gilmore 5.9 on Rivals Lawson 5.8.....Gilmore 8th best DT Lawson 45th best DT on Scouts.....Gilmore 94 score on 24/7 Lawson 88. None of these ratings are really very close not to mention the Rivals Users ratings on Gilmore is 4.56 and Lawson's is only 4.05 with many participating in giving their opinions which smoothes out to some degree the "stacking the ratings possibility" and yes I know that can happen. I'm not going to comment on Lawson because I haven't seen his video yet, but I will be thrilled if Gilmore commits to LSU. IMO, he is better than Pagano who shot off his mouth, went to a 3rd party camp, and didn't show that much from what I heard from everyone. LSU got Lawson who was the only highly rated DT in the state....that is doing what must be done and I give Miles and staff credit for that. IF LSU gets Lawson, Gilmore, and Crayton, I give the DT class an A score. Only if Vanderdoes replaced say Crayton would I raise it to an A+. Vanderdoes committed to USC so that doesn't seem likely.

As far as the DT depth, I have no problem with it ASSUMING we get 3 this time. You are correct that 0 were signed in the last class. But you didn't mention Quentin Thomas and Mickey Johnson who were RS from the 2011 signing class. Using Rivals rating, Johnson was a 5.8, Thomas a 5.7. Mickey Johnson BTW was offered by a ton...Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Michigan, UCLA, Nebraska, Okla State, and many more. So, once again a good class at both DE and DT needs to be accomplished but so far, right on schedule...3 DEs and 1 DT and we are 7 months away from NSD. Oh, and I have no idea if Chavis' folks are still alive in NC {I assume you were joking anyway} but nooooo, he went to see Gilmore specifically {maybe caught Neal also since they are like 50 miles apart}, but that was a trip worthwhile if LSU gets Gilmore. He would be a very good signee for this class as judged by almost everyone as listed above.

 

Yes, I think Lawson will turn out better than Gilmore and no I wasn't kidding about Chavis's visit. Probably stopped by to visit Kevin Steele while he was out there too (What up with that?).

Yes, I do pay attention to the "services", but I don't hang my hat on them like you are apparently do. They are wrong a lot. Here are a couple of examples. Shepherd(5*) vs. Claiborne(3*) and Chris Davenport(5*) vs. Benny Logan(3*). All in the same class. Speaking of Davenport I wonder why he couldn't cut it at DT. Some say it's because he was injured in High School, but it may have been because he couldn't run. He couldn't and still can't. Benny Logan can motor.

If you can't make the play unless it comes to you, more often than not the play won't come to you.

Haven't heard of any commits this weekend except for the 2014 guy.

 

First, I have no idea why Kevin Steele but then again not a big deal. The NCAA limits the # of coaches you can have on staff which is why he is on the administration assistant role. As long as LSU didn't force anybody out, doesn't really affect much. Almost sounds like an evaluation deal (i.e. working with the staff to evaluate guys to go after). The number of coaches recruiting is limited so that can't be it either. If you find out anything, let me know...I will do the same. I do not hang my hat on the services because you gave good examples of misses and could have given more. Having said that, they are CORRECT MOST of the time. Missing on 33% doesn't make them wrong the other 67%. Plus, if you notice I listed all the offers the guy Gilmore has. And most people DO hang their hat on that. Even in Claiborne's case the school's didn't miss on him. If you read his story, the Fair Park coach said they simply didn't have a video camera to make footage until very late in recruiting. LSU knew about him because he was from Shreveport and also FP made the playoffs for the first time in like 15 years which probably drew even more attention.

I had not heard the injury deal about Davenport but makes sense. I saw him in some workout (tires, etc) footage, and he looked a little sluggish to me. You are correct in that Davenport should not have been rated 5*...more like a high 3*. Agree with you about Logan also obviously. I am not a betting man, but at Chavis age and since you said you weren't kidding, I would guess his parents might be deceased but I don't know. Anyway, it was not to see his parents...he made an in-home visit with Gilmore...that was public knowledge as it made the recruiting reports. Wait, we both could be right!! Maybe Gilmore is a neighbor of Chavis' parents.