Okay, so to me in the recruiting game there are the players that have the big offer sheets and stars next to their names, and then the players who are under the radar, or on the periphery of the radar. In-state, guys like Vinson, Trovon Reed, Eric Reid, etc have always been on the radar, and players like Mike Davis, Justin Hunter, Justin Maclin, Zach Lee, who are highly ranked out of state prospects are always celebrated when they commit. Then you have guys like Tharold Simon, Houston Bates, Cam Fordham, Nick Jacobs, DJ Welter, Sam Gibson, etc who are evaluated in the spring or show up in the summer and earn an offer, oftentimes raising the eyebrow of people here, including myself (as in my first reaction is "why are we taking this guy now when he is not as highly thought of as some other prospect) For these guys, it takes a little further rationalization before I can say "okay, I think this is a great take by the coaches and I feel like I have some insight into what they might be thinking in regards to this player's potential."

These are the guys raised my eyebrows and who I have since rationalized as being great prospects who were simply not evaluated by Rivals, Scout, etc, or under ranked by those sites:

Mathieu - rave reviews at UT camp, offered on the spot at LSU camp. From NOLA and so under the radar is not atypical, so I get this one. Pure cover corner.

Muncie - at the surface, very good measurables and a guy who plays safety well in HS will have some range as an LB, which is what he was recruited as. Plus very positive reports from this camp about his athleticism and potential.

Nick Jacobs - Big kid with big athleticism and can play TE, DE, DT, OL, whatever. From Many, Louisiana, so of course he will not have been evaluated by website. Good take.

Sam Gibson - First reaction, why are we offering a kid from Alabama who didn't have UA or Auburn offers. Second reaction, he shows up at a camp, runs a 4.45 at 6'2 200 lbs, and shows big upside as a safety.

Tharold Simon - No more questions about him when his film came out. It spoke for itself.

Cameron Fordham - He is a good jumbo athlete, and I can't second guess coaches who see him as a center when he has 3 years to develop, gain weight and strength, before he hits the field. I prefer athletes on the OL, so I'm convinced he is a good take.

Elliot Porter - Sort of the same story as Fordham, hard to judge OL talent and if he is athletic enough to play DL then I look at that as a huge plus. Unranked when he committed, now a 4-star.

Worle - Good looking fullback, good size, will probably Redshirt and put a year between him and Allen. FB isn't very sexy but guys like Worle are needed.

NOW, the two commits that I haven't rationalized yet:

Welter - Offered way early IMO. Looks to have good speed, but small'ish, and unverified height/weight/speed. I just don't know anything about him

Bates - Too small to play DE and not fluid enough to be a LB. Also offered way early IMO.

I'm not knocking these two, I think they will contribute at some point. But at first glance they don't appear to have the upside that your typical LSU recruit has. They look like your Les Miles yearly "offer a guy with a high motor and if he never starts he'll be a great Special Teams player." Well, that's great and all, but one legacy that Saban left that I truly appreciated is that your best athletes should be on the field at all times, including on special teams. Do any knowledgeable posters here have some insight into Bates and Welter's game? Obviously I've never seen these two play in person and am operating under assumption and intuition more than true insight, so I would like to be proven wrong.

PS please refrain from "if they were good enough for the coaches, they're good enough for me"

While it's a valid opinion, it does not further the conversation at all.