LSU Football: Why Korey Foreman and Maason Smith’s friendship may not be a good thing

LSU football is in the mix for a pair of dynamic defensive linemen.

Five-star defensive tackle Maason Smith and five-star defensive end Korey Foreman are two of the most coveted players in the 2021 recruiting class and LSU football is in the mix to land both players.

Smith, 6-foot-5/316 lbs from Houma, LA, is rated in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 1 player in the state of Louisiana and the No. 19 overall recruit in the nation.

Foreman, 6-foot-4/265 lbs from Corona, CA, is rated in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 1 overall 2021 recruit in the nation.

By now, it’s well-documented that Smith and Foreman would like to play together at the next level. And that’s not just something casual, either. The duo is very serious about playing at the same college.

Smith has been considered a heavy LSU lean, which has given Tigers fans some hope that the program could land both players. LSU currently has the nation’s No. 5 rated 2021 recruiting class. If the Tigers were able to land Smith and Foreman, they’d immediately be a major threat to finish with the nation’s top-rated 2021 recruiting class.

Of course, the close friendship between Smith and Foreman could also work against LSU.

Just because Smith is considered an LSU lean, doesn’t mean he’ll end up in Baton Rouge. It appears the duo wants to make a decision together. That means taking visits together (whenever visits get to resume).

“We’re really serious…I haven’t seen some places he wants to go to, and he hasn’t seen some places I’ve already been to. So it’s kind of like where can we meet at in the middle,” said Smith recently to Rivals.

“It’s going to come down to the wire. That’s all I’m going to say,” said Foreman (via Rivals).

If Foreman wasn’t in the picture, Smith to LSU would be almost automatic. But with Foreman in the mix, it appears to be a situation where it’s all or nothing for the Tigers. Which could be really good, or really bad (for LSU).

Maybe Smith goes on a visit with Foreman to USC and loves it. Or maybe Foreman takes a trip to LSU and just isn’t feeling it. At that point, it means the Tigers could lose an elite in-state recruit simply because they weren’t able to land an elite player from the west coast.

LSU football’s competition for Smith and Foreman

It looks like LSU will be battling Georgia, USC, Oregon, or Alabama for the duo.

Foreman was previously committed to Clemson, but he decommitted earlier this year so he could take visits to other programs. Smith didn’t have Clemson in his recently revealed top eight, which would indicate that the (other) Tigers aren’t going to be a threat to land the duo.

I tend to think that USC will be LSU’s top competition for the duo. And that’s a battle the Tigers should win. Clay Helton is squarely on the hot seat heading into the 2020 season. Even if he keeps his job beyond 2020, his future in Southern California is murky at best.

At LSU, however, there’s longterm stability. And Ed Orgeron knows how to get defensive linemen to the NFL.

My gut feeling is still that LSU lands Smith and Foreman, but I’m not sure I’d be willing to place a bet on it.