Clifford Chattman Commits to LSU: What Versatile 4-Star Brings to Tigers

LSU pulled in a pledge from 2016 prospect Clifford Chattman on Wednesday morning, per Shea Dixon of 247Sports, just days after offering the New Orleans defender.

"He was just on the phone with Coach (Les) Miles and he committed to LSU," McDonogh 35 High School coach Corey McCloud told Dixon. "He's excited. You can see it in his eyes."

The Tigers should also be enthused. 

Though Chattman remains a relative unknown commodity in the 2016 recruiting cycle, he presents an array of options for new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. The 6'5", 185-pound playmaker currently contributes at safety, but he certainly possesses the frame required for an eventual full-time shift to outside linebacker:

Chattman, a 4-star recruit, is the kind of versatile athlete collegiate coaches covet due to his expansive potential for physical growth and alternative paths to playing time. 

"At free safety, I like to roam the field, come down, make tackles and fill in the gaps," Chattman told Andrew Lopez of NOLA.com. "At outside linebacker, I like to cover mostly. I'll do whatever my coaches want me to do." 

His range shows up during film review. 

Chattman flies downhill from free safety to swarm ball-carriers, providing strong perimeter coverage against the run. His capabilities in pass protection offer three-down possibilities at linebacker, as he reacts to make up ground in a hurry and interrupts throws with a wide wingspan. 

There's also room for development in blitz schemes. Chattman's unique blend of length and quickness provides trouble off the edge for opponents, and he also utilizes those skills to rush kick attempts.

LSU was the first team to extend a scholarship in his direction. That offer arrived last weekend, and Chattman wasted little time considering the possibility of a commitment.

"It felt good because it's my home state and I worked very hard to get it," he told Lopez, who mentioned Georgia, Tulane and Arizona State as other programs that previously expressed interest.

Chattman is the sixth commitment in a 2016 LSU class that now rates sixth nationally and second among SEC members in 247Sports' composite rankings.

He joins fellow 4-star in-state standouts Jamal Pettigrew (tight end) and Stephen Sullivan (wide receiver).

Recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.