LSU Football Recruiting: Meet Vadal Alexander, the Tigers' Flagship Recruit

If the LSU Tigers don't land five-star defensive back Tracy Howard, then Les Miles' recruiting class will certainly take a backseat to the other powerhouse programs in college football.

However, Miles should have comfort in knowing that he's already received a verbal commitment from one of the top offensive linemen in the nation: Vadal Alexander from Buford, Ga.

Alexander is a 6'5", 320-lb. offensive lineman who is expected to play guard at the college level. According to ESPNU's Top 150, Alexander is the No. 5-ranked offensive guard in the nation and the No. 9 prospect coming out of the state of Georgia.

Alexander has great size and strength and many say he already has a college-ready body. He's tagged as an offensive guard at the next level primarily for his exceptional run blocking skills, but if he does transition to guard, he might have to shed some weight and redistribute his current body-mass structure.

As it stands right now, Alexander is the highest rated prospect to commit to the Tigers in 2012, according to ESPNU's Top 150. He is the No. 75-ranked prospect in the nation, choosing LSU over the likes of Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia. Texas, Oregon and Alabama.

The not-so-good news is that Alexander is one of only two players in ESPNU's Top 100 players to commit to LSU so far.

But the better news is that the Tigers locked up Alexander at a great time, after the graduation of both LSU's 2011 starting guards, Will Blackwell and T-Bob Hebert.

With plenty of skill coming back across the board, Alexander very well could be one of the only true freshmen competing for playing time in the 2012 season.

Remember, ESPN's rankings are just a rough estimate of how good these players project to be at the college level.

But with great speed, athleticism, and the chance to play right away, Vadal Alexander has all the right ingredients to be the next great lineman to play for Les Miles and the LSU Tigers.