LSU Football: Biggest Recruiting Busts in School History

With National Signing Day less than two weeks away, it's more than appropriate to look back at LSU's biggest recruiting busts in school history.

Nothing upsets a fanbase more than watching a hyped up recruit come into town and not live up to their potential. Well, except for losing a national championship to a rival coached by your former coach with one of the worst offensive game plans imaginable, but that's a thing of the past.

As for now, it's time to land those big-time recruits that will make large impacts on the field and not bust like the names on this list.

From Russell Shepard flopping to the fall of Ryan Perrilloux, these are the top recruiting busts in LSU history.

15. Chris Garrett

Chris Garrett was a 4-star quarterback from Tupelo, and many thought he would be the answer for LSU's problems in 2009.

That simply wasn't the case, as Garrett would transfer to Northwestern State after making no appearances on the field at LSU.

14. Wade Richey

Wade Richey had a powerful leg, but he failed to live up to his promise.

Believe it or not, this kicker was heavily hyped heading into LSU, but he was an inconsistent kicker for the Tigers. Richey was hyped for his long field goals that he made in high school, including a 61-yarder.

He booted a 48-yard field goal in the Independence Bowl, and besides a short NFL run with the San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Ravens, that was about as sweet as it got for Richey.

13. Robert Davis

Robert Davis was considered a steal from Alabama, but Davis defines what happens when bad coaching meets elite talent.

After being named "Mr. Football" in Alabama in 1991, Davis joined Jermaine Sharp in a talented backfield that Curley Hallman apparently couldn't handle, but make no mistake about it, Davis didn't have the best attitude either.

Davis would eventually leave LSU and go play for UAB before getting kicked off of the team.

12. Rick Clausen

Before playing for the University of Tennessee, Rick Clausen was a highly touted recruit for the Tigers.

A lot of Clausen's hype was large in part due to his older brother Casey.

Casey Clausen had a successful career with the Volunteers, and LSU thought they hit a goldmine when they landed Rick.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, that wasn't the case, and after transferring to Tennessee, Clausen's best collegiate moment came when he led the Volunteers to a comeback overtime victory against LSU in 2005.

11. Lester Richard

Lester Richard is one of the many highly recruited quarterbacks who just didn't pan out.

Richard was highly sought after by many, and he never even lettered for the Tigers.

10. Phillip Maxwell

Phillip Maxwell was a linebacker out of Evangel in 2004 that did not live up to the hype.

Maxwell came to LSU considered as one of top defensive players from Evangel, but he was held back because of his weight, frame and speed.

9. Russell Shepard

Russell Shepard has the potential to be explosive, but he hasn't lived up to the 5-star hype.

In 2009, Shepard was thought to be the top prospect in the nation as a quarterback, and in 2012, Shepard has yet to attempt his first pass at LSU.

Instead, Shepard has switched to wide receiver, and despite a few drops here and there, Shepard has managed to gain 478 career receiving yards and five touchdown receptions.

Because Shepard has one more season to make an impact, I put him at No. 10, and hopefully, Shepard will get the chance to prove me wrong.

8. Leonard Valentine

Leonard Valentine came to LSU in 1987 after playing quarterback in Marrero, Louisiana.

It just so happened that Valentine was more well-known for his place kick holding rather than his throwing abilities.

7. Shyrone Carey

Shyrone Carey looked like he was going to live up to the hype his sophomore season in 2003, until he suffered an MCL injury that put him on the sidelines.

Because LSU had so many talented backs, Carey fell down the depth chart behind Justin Vincent and Joseph Addai.

6. Amp Hill

Out of freshmen Amp Hill, Craig Davis and Dewayne Bowe, many regarded Hill to be the best out of three receivers.

Hill suffered a terrible knee injury his freshman season that he never fully recovered from that left Tiger fans wondering what could have been.

5. Abram Booty

Abram Booty is a perfect example of what a poor attitude will do to a player.

Booty is the brother of quarterback Josh Booty and was considered one of the top receivers in the nation heading into Baton Rouge.

Booty would eventually butt heads with head coach Gerry DiNardo from 1997 to 1999, and he never panned out to what many believed he could become.

4. John Williams

John Williams came to campus in 2007 as an athlete and would be plagued by injuries.

Williams was thought to be one of the top athletes in the state who could be used as a versatile player, and Williams would ultimately never receive any playing time as a Tiger.

3. Barrington Edwards

Barrington Edwards came into LSU with a lot of hype, but Justin Vincent would be the running back that stole the show.

After Vincent's 1,000-yard rushing freshman season for the Tigers in 2003, Edwards would transfer to North Carolina.

Tiger fans wasn't that hurt by the transfer, because Edwards would fail to make an impact with the Tar Heels too.

2. Ryan Perrilloux

According to Ryan Perrilloux, it wasn't a matter of if he'd win the Heisman, but how many he'd win.

You know where the story went from there. After a disastrous offseason which saw him try to use his brother's license at a gambling boat and fights at bars following his freshman season, he was kicked off the team and later transferred to Jacksonville State.

Perrilloux is the player who started the Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson era in 2008. Enough said.

1. Cecil Collins

When Cecil Collins was injured, the television would show him in the stands and talk about the unlimited potential he had.

That's just a taste of how much hype was surrounding this guy.

Before breaking his leg, Cecil "The Diesel" showed flashes of greatness in his first four games of his collegiate career as he gained 596 yards.

Collins would never live up to the hype though, as he would eventually be kicked off the team after being arrested twice for illegally entering dwellings.

Undoubtedly, Collins is the biggest recruiting bust in the history of LSU.