Tigers look to finish strong
LSU’s 2012 football recruiting effort has been marked by drama, turmoil and intrigue, characteristics that it appears will continue through the days leading up to Wednesday’s start of the national signing period.
The Tigers will reportedly welcome only one uncommitted player for an official visit this weekend — Oxford, Ala., defensive back Trae Elston (6-foot, 180 pounds) — but his trip to Baton Rouge is merely the tip of the proverbial recruiting iceberg.
Elston’s teammate at Oxford High is linebacker Kwon Alexander, one of the South’s top remaining uncommitted prospects. Both players participated earlier this month in the Under Armour All-American Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Alexander is ranked No. 29 on the ESPNU 150, No. 52 on the Scout 300 and No. 104 on the 24/7 Sports Top 247. Elston is ranked as the No. 7 prospect in Alabama by Rivals, No. 12 in that state by ESPN and No. 19 by 24/7 Sports.
Alexander, who is also considering Auburn and Alabama, made his official visit to LSU for the Auburn game back on the weekend of Oct. 22. Speculation is rampant as to whether landing Elston would help LSU’s chances of a blue-chip double play by luring Alexander to Tigertown as well.
The Tigers certainly have scholarships to give. After a flurry of decommitments in December and January from Crowley running back Davante Bourque (now at Tennessee), offensive lineman Patrick Miller (Auburn) and quarterback Gunner Kiel (Notre Dame), LSU is at 21 commitments.
The Tigers’ two most recent pledges were last week from former Redemptorist running back Jeremy Hill and Patterson linebacker Lorenzo Phillips, himself a former Florida decommitment.
Patterson also happens to be the last name of LSU’s last big wide receiver prospect: Cordarrelle Patterson, a Rock Hill, S.C., native who played last season at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College.
Patterson (6-4, 205), a four-star prospect according to Scout and Rivals, is also considering Ole Miss, Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee.
Adding to all the attention given to the uncommitted players still on LSU’s board is the continuing intrigue over the biggest one who got away: Dutchtown High safety Landon Collins. ESPN’s Jeremy Crabtree was among those who reported the state’s top prospect and Alabama commitment was on LSU’s campus on Tuesday for an informal visit to the LSU football office. After Collins (6-0, 210) initially denied he was at LSU, Crabtree wrote Collins later texted him again “to let me know he did visit the Tigers.”
Collins announced his commitment to Alabama during the Jan. 5 Under Armour game among bizarre circumstances, as his mother sat by his side and shook her head over her son’s decision and said she wished he’d chosen LSU.
There have also been reports that Oxford (Miss.) Lafayette quarterback Jeremy Liggins said (6-3, 270) he eliminated the Tigers after making an official visit last weekend, but sites such as TigerSportsDigest.com report LSU is continuing to press for his commitment. Ole Miss and Mississippi State are reportedly the schools to beat.
Note
The Advocate will release its annual Super Dozen recruiting rankings Sunday.