Danny Etling Transferring to LSU Is Great Insurance at QB for Les Miles

Ever since Matt Flynn led LSU to a national title following the 2007 season, the quarterback position—save for Zach Mettenberger's senior year in 2013—has been a wasteland.

Ryan Perrilloux couldn't stay on the field, Andrew Hatch and Jarrett Lee struggled, the Tigers won in spite of Jordan Jefferson and Anthony Jennings wasn't exactly a game-changer in 2014.

Help is on the way, just not immediate help.

According to Greg Ostendorf of ESPN.com, former Purdue quarterback Danny Etling will enroll at LSU this fall, will sit out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer rules and have two years to play starting in 2016.

He's a tremendous insurance policy for head coach Les Miles and his staff.

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Ideally, Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron would like either sophomore Brandon Harris or junior (and recently suspended) Anthony Jennings to evolve into a star this year and hold down the job for at least the next two seasons. 

At this point, though, that might be the college football equivalent of searching for a unicorn, and having Etling waiting in the wings in 2016 will give Miles and his staff some security.

The native of Terre Haute, Indiana, completed 55.5 percent of his passes (239-for-429) during his first two seasons at Purdue, threw 16 touchdowns and tossed 12 picks. The former 4-star prospect in the class of 2013 has a strong arm, can stand tall in the pocket and deliver the ball on time and on the money.

Gene J Puskar/Associated Press

His stats from Purdue don't exactly jump off the page, but that's not the point nor is it all that important.

He's the most accomplished quarterback on the LSU roster right now, and unless Jennings or Harris bucks the trend and is successful in 2015, he will be next year when he's eligible to play.

Plus, Etling might benefit from the talent around him—especially at wide receiver where Malachi Dupre will be a junior when Etling can play, and other wide receivers like D.J. Chark, John Diarse and Tyron Johnson will have plenty of experience under their belts. 

As Barton Simmons of 247Sports notes, he could shine in the pro-style system of Miles and Cameron.

What's more, he'll be the only true pro-style quarterback on the roster in 2016. 

Jennings and Harris are both dual-threats, and the loser of the battle this year has a good chance of leaving before the 2016 season. Justin McMillan signed in the class of 2015 and enrolled early, but he is also a dual-threat. The Tigers have a commitment from 4-star stud Feleipe Franks, but he's also a dual-threat and it's a lot to ask for a true freshman to come in, play and succeed right away in the SEC.

Etling not only provides a solid pro-style option for the staff, but he also can act as a bridge to get from the current situation that's unstable-at-best, to Franks.

Does Etling have the same buzz surrounding his name as Florida State graduate transfer Everett Golson? 

No, of course not.

But he is a solid insurance policy for Miles to have in 2016 and beyond, and he could become a star with LSU's stable of wide receivers at his disposal.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.