4-Star Safety Prospect Kelvin Joseph Commits to LSU over Alabama, Others

Kelvin Joseph, one of the top safeties in the country, formally committed to LSU on Saturday after he pulled his pledge to the Tigers in October. 

The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native made his announcement official during the 2018 All-American Bowl, per 247 Sports.

A 4-star prospect who flourished at Scotlandville Magnet High School, Joseph is the 37th-ranked player in the country and fourth-ranked safety among all 2018 recruits. The No. 3 player in the state of Louisiana also earned U.S. Army All-American honors. 

However, Joseph hasn't always been a safety. In fact, the 6'1.5'', 191-pounder hadn't played the position until his junior season. 

But as it turns out, the former 5-star cornerback was a natural fit as a ball-hawking presence on the back end. 

"He's able to go sideline to sideline," former Scotlandville head coach LaVanta Davis said, per SECCountry's Sam Spiegelman. "Last year, I saw a kid on special teams. I saw he had attitude, a motor, smart inside the classroom and smart on the field. When the lights come on, he plays the game real physical, aggressive and with an attitude, and that all led to the move to safety."

Looking ahead, Joseph sounds comfortable playing safety or cornerback. 

"In college, I want to go in and play wherever coach needs," he said, per Spiegelman. "It doesn't make a difference (what position). I just want to play."

That mindset is great news for the Tigers. 

LSU generally wields one of the more talented secondaries in the country, and Joseph's flexibility will allow head coach Ed Orgeron to tinker with different alignments and maximize the potential of the group at his disposal. 

So whether he's deployed as a sledgehammer in center field or a shutdown presence along the boundary, Joseph should be in an environment that allows him to develop into one of the nation's more dynamic defensive backs.