LSU Football: Recruiting analyst makes encouraging prediction for Tigers
By Zach Ragan
LSU football is hoping for a strong finish to its 2021 recruiting class.
LSU football has dealt with plenty of trials and tribulations on the football field this season.
A year after winning it all, the Tigers are in danger of finishing the 2020 season with a losing record.
LSU has to beat Florida on Saturday and Ole Miss on December 19 to finish at 5-5. It seems unlikely that scenario will happen (though crazier things have happened).
However, even if the Tigers finish with a losing record, they can still carry plenty of momentum into the 2021 season.
LSU football should have a top-five recruiting class
LSU currently has the No. 4 rated 2021 recruiting class in the nation.
And they could be adding some impressive talent.
Billy Embody, who covers Tigers recruiting for 247Sports, recently made a 2021 class prediction and he has LSU landing five-start defensive tackle Maason Smith.
“The 247Sports Crystal Ball favorite is LSU and while the Tigers are having to fight off Alabama, Georgia and others, it seems like a great bet that he’ll end up in Purple and Gold,” wrote Embody.
A few months ago, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Smith would end up in Baton Rouge.
But over the last couple of weeks, things haven’t been so clear.
Georgia has become a major factor for Smith. And Miami has become a darkhorse candidate to land the talented five-star defensive lineman.
With both of those programs having solid 2020 seasons, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Smith eschew the Tigers for Georgia or Miami. And Alabama, of course, is always a threat for top recruits.
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It’s encouraging, though, that Embody thinks LSU will manage to land Smith during the early signing period.
If the Tigers are going to return to the top of the college football world, they can’t let elite in-state talent like Smith slip away.