LSU Football: The 5 Best Recruits Still out There for the Tigers

As the college football season winds down, programs are beginning to shift their attention towards adding the final pieces to their 2012 recruiting boards.

It is no secret that LSU has been the best of the best in 2011, but how does their 2012 recruiting class stack up against other top programs in the country?

Not only are LSU and Alabama going to duke it out on the football field in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 9, but they will also be fighting against one another in order to land some of the top uncommitted high school seniors in the nation.

Let's take a look at the five best recruits who could still say "yes" to Les Miles and the LSU Tigers in 2012. 

1. Landon Collins

This highly touted in-state product is the No. 1-ranked defensive back in the country according to the ESPNU Top 150 for 2012.

Collins is a do-it-all defensive back who is projected to play safety at the college level.

Rivals.com ranks him as the No. 2 defensive back in the 2012 class and the No. 1 safety overall.

Just when you thought the Tigers might be hurting if Mo Claiborne does indeed declare for the draft, in steps the top freshman defensive back in the country in 2012.

Right now, it appears as if Collins is deciding between LSU and Alabama.

Think this National Championship game could impact his choice?

I would sure think so, but Collins has said that he will announce his college decision at tonight's Under Armour All-America Game.

Now all we can do is wait and see.

2. Tracy Howard

Isn't it fitting that with how dominant LSU's secondary has been this season, that they could potentially land the top two defensive back recruits in the nation in 2012?

Tracy Howard is a 5-star recruit from Miramar, FL, who is considering LSU among five other top-tier college programs.

Howard is the No. 1-ranked cornerback in 2012, according to both ESPNU and Rivals.com. ESPNU rates him as the No. 18 player overall in 2012, while Rivals.com lists him at No. 16 overall.

If LSU were able to land both Landon Collins and Tracy Howard, their defensive backfield should be the best in college football for years to come.

3. Joel Caleb

Joel Caleb is another Top-100 player LSU is after in 2012.

However, Caleb has not given much of an idea as far as where he is leaning. Right now, he has 17 total schools he is deciding between, and there really isn't a clear-cut leader.

Caleb is listed as an athlete and could play a number of positions at the college level. He played primarily quarterback in high school, but missed half of his senior season at Clover Hill High School because of a knee injury.

Rivals.com lists Caleb as the No. 3 player in the state of Virginia and the No. 71 player overall, while ESPNU ranks him the No. 80 prospect in the 2012 class.  

4. Channing Ward

Channing Ward is a huge prospect from Mississippi who plays strongside defensive end and could be used at DE or OLB in college.

His body and style of play has been compared to Terrell Suggs of the Baltimore Ravens.

Right now, it looks like Ward has narrowed his college choices to five finalists: LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Despite LSU's high amount of commits already for 2012, the Tigers should hold out a spot for Ward.

Ward is ranked as the No. 72 prospect in the 2012 class according to ESPNU's Top 150, and No. 88 according to rivals.com. He is the top-rated player in the state of Mississippi and could potentially be an instant contributor to what is already a dominant defense at LSU.

5. Anthony Alford

Anthony Alford was an elite quarterback in high school, but he could potentially play a number of positions in college.

ESPNU ranks Alford as the No. 98 prospect in the 2012 Top-150 class.

Alford, who played his prep ball at Petal High School in Mississippi, has LSU high on his list and has received an official offer. He is the No. 3-ranked player in the state of Mississippi and the No. 14-ranked athlete in the nation.

If LSU gets one or two of these five, they should land yet another top-10 National Class in 2012.

We should know plenty more after the All-American games and the BCS National Championship.

Now all we can do is wait and see exactly how it all plays out in the next week or so.