LSU Recruiting 2012: 7 Things the Tigers Are Hoping for on National Signing Day

The LSU Tigers 2012 recruiting class isn't what Tiger fans had hoped for.

With players like Landon Collins and Gunner Kiel slipping through the Tigers' grasp, LSU needs to finish strong to make this class a memorable one.

The Tigers have lost out on 5-star defensive end Mario Edwards, and with National Signing Day only a few days away, here's seven things LSU is hoping for.

Signing Kwon Alexander

It only takes one glance at the Tigers' list of commitments to realize that the linebacker position is a position the Tigers are desperately trying to fill.

Yet the Tigers are still trying to land one more linebacker, and in Kwon Alexander they would land a 4-star athlete who possesses both the speed and size to be a great outside linebacker.

Alexander is a 6'2'', 212-pound athlete with 4.5 speed from Oxford, Ala., and has narrowed his choices down to LSU, Alabama and Auburn.

Signing Trae Elston

The Tigers didn't land Tracy Howard, but they can somewhat make up for it with 4-star cornerback Trae Elston.

Elston possesses natural football instincts that help him find the football and make big plays—sounds like the Honey Badger if you ask me.

While comparing him to Tyrann Mathieu is completely unfair to both Mathieu and Elston, Elston does have 4.4 speed and could add more depth to an already stacked secondary.

Elston is a teammate of Alexander, so if one player commits to the Tigers, chances are the Tigers could get a two-for-one deal.

Signing Corey Thompson

With one safety already committed in Derrick Raymond, it wouldn't hurt for the Tigers to add another safety to the class.

Corey Thompson is a 3-star safety from Missouri City, Texas. He's undecided on whether he wants to sign with Texas A&M or LSU, and if the Tigers can sway him over to Tiger town, it would certainly be a nice pickup.

Add Another Running Back to Redshirt

The running back position is one of those positions that the Tigers can do without filling, but it would be nice to pick up a running back to redshirt.

The Tigers are obviously loaded at running back with Spencer Ware, Michael Ford, Alfred Blue and Kenny Hilliard, but it's always a good plan to have a stable full of backs ready to go.

The Tigers already have one committed running back in Lamar Louis, and signing another running back to redshirt for the future would come in handy.

Sigining Cordarrelle Patterson

Cordarrelle Patterson is a Julio Jones-type receiver.

At 6’4” and 205 lbs, the 5-star JUCO receiver possesses the size and speed to be a dominant wide receiver in the SEC.

Signing Patterson would not only mean a lot to the Tigers in terms of replacing Rueben Randle, but he could free up players like Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry who are poised to have breakout seasons with Zach Mettenberger throwing the football.

Land Jeremiah Brisco

Jeremiah Brisco is a 6'3'' quarterback from Houston, Texas, that could provide some depth at the quarterback position.

With Gunner Kiel deciding to play college ball at Notre Dame, the Tigers have no quarterbacks who are committed.

Brisco wouldn't send the Tigers over the top in recruiting, but he would be a nice backup behind Zach Mettenberger, Stephen Rivers and Jarrard Randall.

Somehow Fight Back into Top 10

Right now, the Tigers are sitting at No. 16 on ESPN's top recruiting classes of 2012.

To make matters even worse for Tiger fans, the team that has the best recruiting class is the team that just beat the Tigers in the national championship, Alabama.

It's not impossible for the Tigers to finish in the Top 10, and if the Tigers somehow managed to land every recruit in this slideshow, they could easily find their way back into the Top 10.

The Tigers are really only one big recruit away, and knowing Les Miles, who's to say he doesn't have a commitment left "up his sleeve."