Recruiting class prediction (1/25 edition)...

Had somebody ask me to update this, as apparently there were people who didn't hate the previous versions, so here it is.

This gets a lot easier, even though there are still 8 spots to fill. Here we go...

1. Jacoby Matthews - He'll be in this weekend and it's just an LSU-Florida battle. I've always said Corey Raymond would finish 2nd on this one just like he did so many times at LSU, and there is little reason to believe otherwise now. LSU has immediate playing time to offer and this is where Matthews always wanted to go.

2. Trevonte Citizen - It looks like last weekend's push and Frank Wilson's work on Citizen has made a difference, and the experts seem to be projecting him as part of Kelly's class. The fact that we haven't made a late offer to Andrew Paul or Ajay Allen is a telltale sign that the staff thinks they're going to get Citizen (either that or they don't think RB is an area of major need if he doesn't come).

3. Harold Perkins - There's too much smoke around Perkins following his decommitment and the things his uncle has said not to see that he's moving LSU's way. Visiting this weekend along with Matthews, when the two have become good friends, just gives this an air of inevitability at this point. Taking Perkins means you don't need another LB from the portal.

4. Jarrick Bernard-Converse - It's kind of surprising this hasn't already popped, as LSU's spring semester has already started. Bernard-Converse is unquestionably a take - you grab a Power 5 All-Conference player at a position of need whenever you can - and it doesn't sound like there are any other schools really in the mix for him. He's visited LSU, and my guess is a boom is imminent.

5. Danny Lewis - He's coming in tomorrow and he'll be here until Thursday, and on Friday night he's got a basketball game. If Lewis didn't commit to Alabama over the weekend I don't think he'll commit to Florida - and in fact, I'm going to say he might just shut it down on his LSU visit and relax this weekend. Lewis did a nice job getting a free trip to Tuscaloosa out of playing the game late.

6. Caleb Douglas - LSU jumped on Douglas, who was all set to commit to Florida, and basically took him away from Billy Napier. He's coming in this weekend and the word is he'll commit on the visit. Douglas' stock is rising quickly and he's the kind of big, physical receiver LSU needs more of. With John Rutledge vacillating about even playing football in college and no movement on Zavion Thomas, Douglas is the receiver Hankton has settled on and will bring in.

7. Jaelyn Davis-Robinson - Davis-Robinson will reportedly make his final visit this weekend to LSU, and things he's said make it sound like this will be his destination after Kerry Cooks made him a late offer. Oregon had him in last weekend, but it looks like Oregon's last cornerback spot is getting filled, meaning LSU's Davis-Robinson's clear best offer. He's an underrated prospect with great technique and very playable speed, and helps fix the depth problem at cornerback.

8. Darnell Washington - if the rumors are true that Washington is going into the portal, perhaps following spring practice, I would think LSU would be a great match. Hankton wasn't his position coach but he'd surely have a connection with Washington seeing as though Hankton was the passing game coordinator at Georgia, a tight end would have to have interest in a Kelly-coached team given the success of Notre Dame's tight ends, that also apples to Denbrock seeing as though he's putting two tight ends into the draft this year and there may not be a high-major college team anywhere in the country with as much of a need for a starting tight end as LSU. Put that together and given the success Kelly has already had in the portal, and it looks like a fit.

But if not Washington, whoever the best available tight end who jumps into the portal might be can plug in here, because they've got to use this spot on that position. There are no tight ends currently in the portal that the staff likes.

So that's it. If they pull off this haul, you'd have to say this might be the most amazing comeback recruiting class in LSU history, and certainly the best transition-year recruiting class we've ever seen. Also, if they manage it you could look at the roster and say that it doesn't have any significant weaknesses, with a couple of caveats - (1) Brennan has to be able to play at the level he was playing against Missouri in 2020 when he got hurt and then build from there, and (2) they've got to find a center among the current group of interior linemen unless Shorts can play there. Other than that, this would look an awful lot like a top 10 LSU team.