Inside SEC's No. 1 Recruiting Class for 2016: What's Working for LSU
LSU matched its lowest win total last season since head coach Les Miles arrived in Baton Rouge in 2005, but the Tigers remain undaunted on the recruiting trail.
The program, coming off an 8-5 campaign that ended with a Music City Bowl defeat, sits atop the 2016 SEC class rankings. It's haul of prospects is rated second nationally in 247Sports' composite rankings.
Though these players still have senior seasons ahead in high school, their collegiate expectations are already ambitious.
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"We're going to win a lot of games together. Our focus is on championships," Tigers defensive end commit Caleb Roddy told Bleacher Report. "It's important that we become close before we get to campus."
A few LSU commits were able to do that earlier this month at The Opening, an annual elite football showcase held at Nike's world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Roddy was joined there by LSU-bound quarterback Feleipe Franks, wide receiver Stephen Sullivan and cornerbacks Andraez Williams and Saivion Smith.
The latest additions to "DBU" actually worked in tandem during seven-on-seven action at The Opening, providing an early glimpse of what could be the next dynamic defensive duo in Baton Rouge.
"Me and Greedy (Williams) played on the opposite side of one another yesterday and today," Smith said in Oregon. "We are just getting to learn one another more. I feel like we are going to be very good in the future."
That seems to be the general consensus for this entire class, which is highlighted by several recruits who rate as top-12 talents at their respective positions in composite rankings.
| Saivion Smith | No. 2 cornerback | 12th |
| Edwin Alexander | No. 6 defensive tackle | 15th |
| Eric Monroe | No. 2 safety | 30th |
| Feleipe Franks | No. 1 dual-threat quarterback | 47th |
| Erick Fowler | No. 7 outside lineback | 84th |
| Dee Anderson | No. 10 wide receiver | 85th |
| Stephen Sullivan | No. 12 wide receiver | 87th |
| Donavaughn Campbell | No. 3 offensive guard | 109th |
| Jamal Pettigrew | No. 6 tight end | 195th |
LSU is in rarefied air with nine pledges among the country's top 200 overall 2016 prospects, and these players credit the program's leader as a main reason for the recruiting success.
"Coach Miles is a great guy and he does an outstanding job recruiting players who can help the team compete for championships," Franks said while training at the Elite 11 national finals.
LSU struggled at times last season, especially with a passing attack that finished last among SEC squads in yards per game. That didn't shake Franks, who committed to the class last summer.
"My confidence is with [offensive coordinator Cam] Cameron and that staff. I have faith things are headed in the right direction and I'm looking forward to becoming part of the process on offense," he said.
The 6'5", 220-pound playmaker from Wakulla High School in Florida completed 58 percent of his pass attempts for 2,249 yards and 28 touchdowns with eight interceptions in 2014. He added 425 yards and three scores as a rusher.
"Feleipe never wavered [during 5-star quarterback Shea Patterson's recruitment], and LSU coaches have been constantly wowed by his tools. He's a guy they're excited to build around," said regional recruiting reporter Andrew Lopez of the Times-Picayune.
A top-tier quarterback can quickly become the catalyst for a recruiting class. Though standouts like Smith are leading the charge to target their elite peers, expect Franks to play a pivotal factor moving forward.
"It definitely gives you an edge to have a high-profile quarterback, and in my opinion we have one with Feleipe Franks," Roddy said. "He's fantastic, and he has a rocket arm. Hopefully he can take the offense to another level when it's his time to step up at LSU. I truly believe he can be one of the best in the country."
Tigers fans can also look forward to the arrival of an intriguing group of pass-catchers. Sullivan, Dee Anderson and Jamal Pettigrew are all 4-star prospects who stand 6'4" or taller.
This trio combined to catch 120 passes for 2,080 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2014. LSU is still targeting wide receivers like Clyde Chriss, Nate Craig-Myers and Mykel Jones, but an impressive corps is already in place.
"What quarterback wouldn't be excited about this group of receivers? You've got guys who are physical, tall and make life difficult for the defense," Franks said. "These guys are great targets to throw to, and I'm thrilled to get to work with them."
These offensive playmakers should set the stage for contentious practice sessions.
LSU already features one of college football's deepest defensive backfields. It's a fearsome collection that will be further fortified by Williams, Smith and talented Texas safety Eric Monroe.
"We can help create a special secondary," Smith said. "I need to go in there, put in the work and learn from [defensive backs coach] Corey Raymond. He's the one who coached up a lot of those guys and helped push them into the league. If I do what he says and work on my craft, I won't have any worries or pressure."
Raymond is a valuable member on a Tigers staff that added a few aces during the offseason. Miles hired former Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron, former Alabama linebackers coach Kevin Steele and former Georgia wide receivers coach Tony Ball.
"They have the right staff to get it done in recruiting," Lopez said. "Those new additions, plus [running backs coach/recruiting coordinator] Frank Wilson, really give LSU an edge. It's almost unfair to have all those guys on one staff."
The team's sales pitch is straight to the point, according to Roddy.
"It's the best football in America, by far. LSU has the best stadium, the best fans and the best environment. It's just the greatest place to spend your college career," he said.
That luster doesn't fade due to one underwhelming season. LSU opened this decade with four straight double-digit win totals and is less than four years removed from its most recent national title game appearance.
"Unless you have a few seasons like [2014] in a row, you can bounce back on the recruiting trail because there's a strong track record in place," Lopez said. "They can still sell the title contender brand because of what they've been able to do under Les Miles. I'm pretty sure he still has that national championship trophy sitting around somewhere."
This latest star-studded collection of recruits aims to add more bling to an already impressive LSU trophy case.
"The commits in this class and even the younger guys like [top-ranked 2017 pledge] Dylan Moses are focused on bringing a championship back to Baton Rouge," Smith said. "We are recruiting players just as hard as the coaches do."
LSU's remaining list of targets features 5-star prospects Ben Davis (linebacker), Brandon Jones (safety), Rashard Lawrence (defensive tackle) and Shavar Manuel (defensive end) and 4-star offensive tackle Willie Allen.
Another surge in the final six months before national signing day could solidify LSU's spot atop the SEC recruiting perch—occupied by Alabama since 2011—and possibly push the Tigers past Ohio State's top-rated class.
"They need to keep these key players who are already in the fold and try to add a couple more big-time, 5-star guys," Lopez said. "There will be some lower-tier commits who eventually flip, whether it's their or LSU's choice. You know they'll add some solid 4-star guys. At this point, it's about building off the really strong foundation they've already created."
Tigers coaches can sell athletes on an opportunity to compete alongside America's best young talent. It's a recipe that could result in significant strides for LSU moving forward.
"It's really cool being part of such an elite class. It's a great feeling knowing you have so many people coming in at the same level as you," Roddy said. "We're going to win championships for sure—multiple maybe."
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