Can LSU recruit like Bama?

When dj chester commits on Thursday we will have the #4 Class on the 247 composite.

On Top of that we are the favorites to land top 50 player Javien Toviano, and are firmly in the race for 5 stars Desmond Ricks and Nyckoles Harbor. All signs point to a Top 5 class this year maybe even top 3 depending on how we close

We’ve always recruited as well as Alabama. We just never had the right coaches to teach these kids.

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We just never had the right coaches to teach these kids.

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We did under Les, but his offensive philosophy was garbage.

Not quite,yet, but damn close enough. They've gotten to where they hand pick the top 5 at every position. This is year one and we're trending to a 4-6 finish, with staff only having 10 months to recruit these kids, and implement their systems, etc. Doesn't mean we can't compete with then every yr, and that with sustained success, can't become that ourselves in a few yrs time. Kelly and staff have proven an ability to kill it on the national scale, and LA will always provide elite athletes. Once the roster gets right sized in 2 yrs, with more freshman and less mercenaries volume wise, will be back to slugging it out. Until then, they better beat us these next 2 yrs (same goes for everyone).

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However I don’t think they are willing to pay guys what Miami allegedly paid to get Cormani.

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that's out of Bama and Uga's price range also

Only Miami and A&M are willing to pay for that

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will we be able to recruit at the level of Bama, Georgia, A&M, Ohio State?

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We absolutely have the ability to recruit with any program in the country. However, in order to recruit to the peak of our ability, we first have to show some sustained on-field success. If we pull out 9 (regular season) wins this year, and follow it up with 9-10 regular season wins next year, then I fully expect to see us pulling top 3 classes. If BK is able to pop a natty—which is no guarantee but is also far from out of the question—then I think you start to see us competing with Bama for those #1 classes. If (1) we hadn’t lost our entire coaching staff and had the program crater immediately following 2019, and (2) NIL hadn’t changed the landscape significantly, I think our 2022(?) class would’ve been #1 in the country. Entering the 2020 season, we were lightyears out ahead of everyone else for 2022, plus had an all-time in-state crop of kids coming up… but unfortunately O showed his arse in legendary fashion and NIL totally changed the game, so it fell apart. But now that the NIL playing field has evened itself out, I think it’s fair to say that the way the 2022 class WAS looking before all that is the way you can expect to see us recruit if we ever get back to the promised land under BK.


Bottom line: Right now, we can put up a top 5 class. With a year or two of sustained success, we can put up top 3 classes. And with another natty, we can recruit with anyone. It’s just a matter of stringing small successes together in order to make those prerequisites into reality. If we close this current class the way we hope, and if Walker Howard or nuss is able to be the guy we hoped next year, then I’d say we’re on our way. Luckily with BK we don’t have to worry about year-over-year instability in the same way we did with O, even at his best, so we should have a good opportunity to compound our successes. I will say this, though: A Walker Howard star-turn would go a LONG way toward re-cementing us as a perennial contender.

Exactly. You would think the way folk talk about Georgia (one title in forty years and finally establishing a truly elite culture) and Ohio State, that we ALSO haven’t had elite recruiting and MORE championship success over the past two decades…it’s asinine.

Besides Alabama, LSU has been the most consistent program (in terms of titles and not JUST stat padding regular season wins like a Oklahoma or Ohio State), in the country for 20 years. Averaged 10 wins under Les and pre-season and postseason finishes in the top ten, annually, plus 2-3 1st round picks yearly with minimal busts compared to an Alabama. There is a reason LSU is truly CFB’s TOP NFL factory. Can we recruit like Alabama, Ohio State, or Georgia though? The answer is an obvious and astounding, yes…

Couldn’t say it better myself, it’s amazing how folks just forget how anything below a top ten finish in the polls and top five recruiting class, was a disappointment for a good chunk of nearly 2 decades, and even going into today.

Under CBK, there is a high level of stability that includes a culture, development of ALL positions, and elite coaching, not to mention the proper pieces behind him to lay a foundation for a perennial contender, unlike many years in the past where we still won despite lacking in one or several of the aforementioned aspects. This LSU football team will be TERRIFYING in the coming years.

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We’ve always recruited as well as Alabama.

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No we haven't, at least not since Nick has been there. Using 247 composite:

2010 LSU #9, Bama #4, Georgia #11, Ohio State #18

2011 LSU #8, Bama #1, Georgia #7, Ohio State #6

2012 LSU #13, Bama #1, Georgia #9, Ohio State #5

2013 LSU #6, Bama #1, Georgia #12, Ohio State #2

2014 LSU #2, Bama #1, Georgia #8, Ohio State #3

2015 LSU #5, Bama #1, Georgia #6, Ohio State #7

2016 LSU #2, Bama #1, Georgia #6, Ohio State #4

2017 LSU #7, Bama #1, Georgia #3, Ohio State #2

2018 LSU #15, Bama #5, Georgia #1, Ohio State #2

2019 LSU #5, Bama #1, Georgia #2, Ohio State #14

2020 LSU #4, Bama #2, Georgia #1, Ohio State #5

2021 LSU #3, Bama #1, Georgia #2, Ohio State #4

2022 LSU #12, Bama #2, Georgia #3, Ohio State #4

Average since 2010 LSU #7, Bama #1.7, Georgia #5.5, Ohio State #5.8

Average last 10 years LSU #6.1, Bama #1.6, Georgia #4.4, Ohio State #4.7

Average last 5 years LSU #7.8, Bama #2.2, Georgia #1.8, Ohio State #5.8

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We just never had the right coaches to teach these kids.

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LSU players have tended to perform very well at the combine and in their rookie seasons, by my recollection. That cannot be because they are poorly coached in college. You may have a point if you discuss the coach's abilities to gameplan and call plays to maximize the potential of players, particularly on offense.

Good post