re: Name Them

I'll try to name some of them. Most I'll get wrong. In no particular order...

1. Danny Lewis, TE, New Iberia/Westgate - Lewis is a no-brainer of a recruit for LSU, seeing as though his senior season is almost assuredly going to result in him being rated up and also seeing as though his recruiter from Cincinnati is pretty likely to get the job not just as the offensive coordinator here but would coach tight ends. The fact that Lewis' 247 profile pic has him in an LSU jacket is an indication what he'll do if he's offered.

2. Tre'Mond Shorts, OL, East Tennessee State - Shorts was a 3rd team FCS All-American we offered in the portal, and he looks very much like an SEC-level offensive lineman on film. With the playing time available at LSU and Kelly's history of pumping offensive linemen into the league, I wouldn't bet against this guy joining the class.

3. Trevonte Citizen, RB, Lake Charles College Prep - Citizen was an LSU commitment before, and I can't see him not being one again with Frank Wilson on the case. Especially if Ty Davis-Price is going out; that would put playing time on the table for Citizen in his freshman year.

4. Harold Perkins, LB, Houston, TX/Cy Park - LSU gets Perkins for the simple reason that LSU needs Perkins more than the other schools after him. He's got the family connection here with his uncle being a big LSU guy, but at the end of the day he's going to know that he immediately steps into the playing rotation if not the starting lineup when he gets here. That'll be enough.

5. Jacoby Matthews, SS, Ponchatoula - Matthews is the #1 priority for LSU, as he should be, and if he comes he's immediately in the mix to start as a freshman. He won't pass that opportunity up.

6. Leroy Paige, LB/DB, New Orleans/Martin Luther King - I just have a feeling about Paige, as he's a versatile player who could fit in a couple of places. He's the type of kid who we've gotten huge value out of with late offers in the past.

7. Khari Gee, DB, Notre Dame - Gee was committed to LSU before the previous staff dumped him, but Kelly liked him enough to bring him in. He was too skinny as a freshman but he's put on a lot of weight and might beef up more to play linebacker. I see multiple portal additions from Notre Dame.

8. Zavion Thomas, WR, Marrero/John Ehret - LSU needs numbers at wide receiver with the multiple portal entries, and Thomas is the best available wide receiver in Louisiana. That he didn't sign with Mississippi State last week might indicate he's looking for an offer from LSU, so that makes him a projectable addition to the class.

8. Ajay Allen, RB, Monroe/Neville - Allen didn't sign with TCU last week, so he's available. He can help in the return game and he's a hyper-productive back who looks a good bit like Kyren Williams at Notre Dame. Unless Trevor Etienne takes his spot I expect him in this class.

9. Ronald Lewis, CB, New Orleans/Warren Easton - Lewis has been committed to Colorado and Texas, but he didn't sign with either last week. Signing him helps to build a bridge into Warren Easton, plus he's a decent cover guy who can develop over time.

10. J'mari Monette, DL, Alexandria Senior High - Monette is a guy like Paige, in that if you watch his senior film you're going to struggle to understand why he's not a lot higher-rated recruit. He's built like a truck and he wins a ton of battles at the line of scrimmage. Think of him as the Neil Farrell or Bennie Logan of this class.

11. Jacob Cowing, WR, UTEP - Cowing tweeted an offer from LSU, though he's going to have them from tons of teams. We'll put him down on this list as a stand-in for somebody, which could easily be Cowing himself, who'll come in out of the portal to join LSU's wide receiver room.

12. Taki Taimani, DT, Washington - LSU's depth situation at defensive tackle, which doesn't look much like it'll get fixed with high school or JUCO recruits, requires a plug-and-play addition in the portal. Taimani, a 330-pound nose guard who's been a two-year starter at Washington, fits the bill. If it's not him it'll be somebody like him.

13. Jared Wiley, TE, Texas - Wiley is a grad transfer who brings size at 6-7, 250, and he's got some receiving ability but hasn't been used much in the passing game by either Tom Herman or Steve Sarkisian. Kelly's history with tight ends and LSU's need for a big, physical inline tight end make this a good opportunity for him. LSU's going to take a tight end in the portal, and I'll put Wiley in as a fit here.

14. McKale Boley, OL, Hattiesburg, MS/Oak Grove - Boley, the son of former NFL defensive lineman Michael Boley, goes 6-6 and 320 and he's a 3-star prospect who decommitted from Colorado a month ago. LSU is going to jump on a high school project offensive lineman from somewhere, and I'm putting Boley on this list because he's probably the highest-rated available offensive line prospect within 250 miles of LSU's campus.

15. DJ James, CB, Oregon - James started as a sophomore at Oregon this year and then hit the portal after Mario Cristobal left. He's from Spanish Fort, Alabama, meaning LSU is just about the closest major program to home. He's a little bit of a discipline issue, seeing as though he got caught shooting airsoft guns at strangers during a weird incident over the summer, but he got on the field this fall anyway and played awfully well. Worth taking a chance on, and we'll for sure take a cornerback in the portal this year.

16. Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Florida - Diabate was the Gators' leading tackler this year, and he's a 3.9 GPA honor student. He originally signed at Florida as an edge rusher and got moved to inside linebacker. Kelly, who knows how to coach bright kids like Diabate, is looking for an outside linebacker who can bookend B.J. Ojulari; he can offer this kid a starting job at his original position or at inside linebacker.

17. McKade Mettauer, OL, Cal - Mettauer's brother is going to be a 5-star recruit in the 2024 class and LSU is already recruiting him. Today Kelly offered the older brother, who's started 28 or the last 29 games at Cal and has graded out very well at right guard. He's from Houston and went to St. Pius X, a school Kelly has recruited heavily.

18. Jamie "Greedy" Vance, CB, Louisville - Vance, who prepped at Karr in New Orleans, had 36 tackles and seven pass breakups as a 2nd year guy this year. He's a depth addition but he's got pretty good speed and our cornerback room is as empty as it's been in years; I don't think we can turn him down. Plus, the last corner we had whose name was Greedy did well enough.

19. Arlis Boardingham, WR/LB, Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham - Boardingham is a shot in the dark, but he's a kid who was on LSU's list at one point and is also on Notre Dame's. He's listed as an athlete and can play a bunch of positions and he's the kind of kid I'd expect to see us jump on late depending on the connections the new coaches Kelly hires might have. Plus, we need an edge rusher in this class to go with Quency Wiggins and at 6-4, 220, this kid might be that.