What LSU Must Pitch to Win over No. 1 CB Saivion Smith During Visit

LSU will get a huge opportunity to woo 5-star corner Saivion Smith when the nation's top-rated player at the position visits Baton Rouge this weekend for the Tigers' junior day, according to Shea Dixon of Geaux247.

Smith is a lockdown corner prospect from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, who already has more than 20 offers under his belt.

The Tigers jumped in the race for Smith after offering him last month. 

But what can they pitch to him on his trip this weekend that will place in them in good position to land him in the end?

For starters, the trip will be a benchmark in Smith's recruitment.

"Saivion is looking forward to this trip," Anthony Smith, Saivion's father, told Bleacher Report. "When he gets back from this visit, we plan on narrowing his list."

There are a few things going in LSU's favor with Smith, but there are also a few questions that must be answered.

The best thing it can do is to sell its recent tradition of sending corners to the NFL.

With former corners such as Patrick Peterson, Morris Claiborne and Tharold Simon being drafted in recent years, LSU's history has to appeal to any corner of Smith's caliber.

However, the Tigers lost the architect of their suffocating defenses in recent years when former defensive coordinator John Chavis moved on to Texas A&M in the offseason. A plus in negating the loss of Chavis is the fact that secondary coach Corey Raymond is still on Les Miles' staff.

Still, it's up to the Tigers' new defensive coordinator, Kevin Steele, to convince Smith that the Tigers' tradition of playing their corners on an island is going to remain the same.

As Smith told Josh Newberg of Noles247 last month, he prefers a scheme that lets him operate as a true lockdown cover man.

"I want to be pressed-up by myself on the outside," Smith said. "That's my island."

Even though the Tigers brought in a pair of touted corners in the 2015 class, including fellow 5-star Floridian Kevin Toliver II, the depth chart isn't a huge negative with the Tigers, as illustrated by Ourlads.

In fact, LSU could pitch Smith on the idea of pairing him with Toliver to form the Tigers' corner duo of the future.

Ironically, Smith's coming-out party during his junior season came during a monster performance against Toliver's Trinity Christian Academy squad in a nationally televised game.

While the Tigers will have a chance to roll out the red carpet for Smith, it will still be tough to pull him away from the Sunshine State.

Programs such as Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Miami are among the schools actively recruiting the nation's No. 6 overall prospect in the 2016 cycle.

Still, given LSU's history with landing elite corners and Smith's willingness to visit them early in his recruitment, the Tigers have a huge opportunity to make a lasting impression on one of the biggest difference-makers in the 2016 class.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani