LSU Football: Why Tigers could miss on their top recruiting target

LSU football could be in a tough spot with one of their top 2021 recruiting targets.

I don’t think LSU football fans shoud be too concerned about the program’s slow start to the 2020 season (1-2 after three games), but I do think the Tigers need to turn things around before recruiting is negatively affected.

No one expected LSU to dominate in 2020. But this season was supposed to be a good opportunity for the Tigers to prove they have “staying power” in the SEC.

A mini-rebuild, essentially, was expected.

It’s turned out to be a major rebuild, though, and that could be problematic for LSU when it comes to landing some of their top recruiting targets.

LSU football needs to find success or risk missing out on a top recruits

2021 five-star defensive tackle Maason Smith is one of the Tigers’ top recruiting targets. He’s been considered by most to be a heavy LSU lean throughout his recruitment.

Earlier this week, Smith revealed his top five schools and he included LSU, along with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Miami.

This battle is likely going to come down to Georgia and LSU.

And I’m starting to feel like the Bulldogs are a bigger threat than I realized.

Here’s the problem: Smith has a great relationship with Georgia and right now the Bulldogs are playing at a much higher level defensively than LSU.

Smith is also close to several other top recruits that are considering Georgia — five-star defensive end Korey Forman (a player that Smith hopes to play with in college) and five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff (who is already committed to UGA).

If LSU continues to sputter this season, it could make it tough for Smith and Foreman to commit to the Tigers — especially if Georgia continues to play at an extremely high level (the Bulldogs look like they have the best defense in the nation).

LSU might have a national championship under Ed Orgeron, but Georgia has been remarkably consistent under Kirby Smart.

I’m not ready to predict that LSU is going to lose Smith to the Bulldogs. But if things don’t turn around soon, it could definitely become a reality.