Why LSU Football was never in serious danger of losing Maason Smith

LSU football landed its biggest in-state recruiting target on the first day of the early signing period.

LSU football signed its biggest in-state recruiting target on Wednesday — the first day of the early signing period — ensuring the day would be viewed as a success.

Five-star defensive tackle Maason Smith, who is rated as the No. 18 overall player in the nation, couldn’t say no to the Tigers.

Smith signed with LSU over Alabama, Georgia, and Miami.

Over the last couple of weeks, it felt like there was a real chance that LSU would lose Smith to one of their rivals.

But it appears LSU was never in serious danger of losing Smith, which is a testament to the job that Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron does with in-state recruiting.

LSU football was always going to land Maason Smith

For any other player of Smith’s caliber, choosing Alabama or Georgia over LSU would’ve been understandable.

All three programs are considered “elite”. And all three routinely send players to the NFL. It really all comes down to preference.

Smith isn’t just any player, though. He’s a Louisiana native. And so is Coach O. That fact alone made this an easy decision for Smith.

“There are other coaches at other big-time schools, but no other coach is from where I’m from,” said Smith to Rivals on Wednesday.

“He’s (Orgeron) from LaRose, LA, that’s 20 minutes from my house,” added the five-star defensive lineman.

“He knows exactly what goes [on] around here in the Bayou region, how people talk around here and that makes me feel like home. It makes it letter better with home knowing how to be a real Bayou boy.”

You can’t win at LSU unless you land the top in-state talent every year.

Fortunately for the Tigers, no one recruits the state of Louisiana better than Coach O.