LSU Football: Tigers still in the mix for elite 2022 recruit
By Zach Ragan
LSU football finished the early signing period with the No. 18 ranked 2022 recruiting class in the country.
That’s not the type of elite recruiting class we’re used to seeing the Tigers land.
A coaching change, however, is the main reason behind LSU’s lower-than-usual rated class. New Tigers head coach Brian Kelly didn’t have much time to go to work after taking over for Ed Orgeron in early December.
Fortunately for LSU, there are a few “big fish” left out there that the program could sign on National Signing Day in February.
And one of those players is a former Tigers commit.
LSU football is still in the mix for 4-star defensive back Jacoby Mathews
2022 four-star defensive back Jacoby Mathews originally committed to LSU last April.
Mathews, however, decommitted from the Tigers near the end of July after taking a visit to Texas A&M.
The talented defensive back didn’t sign during the early signing period. As a result, LSU, along with Alabama, Florida, Texas, and Texas A&M, are still in the mix in Mathews’ recruitment.
Mathews told 247Sports recently that he’s been impressed with new Tigers head coach Brian Kelly. And he also noted the addition of Frank Wilson to LSU’s staff as a big selling point.
"“He made a big impression on me,” Mathews said. “I feel like he loves me and loves what he’s got going on in Louisiana and I feel like he’s going to love Louisiana. He really wants to be here, he’s making that known that he wants to coach the best players and he doesn’t want me to leave the state.“Everything is smooth-sailing with the new staff and they also want to win and I feel like they have something good, especially with the recruits they just got on the Early Signing Day.”Mathews also mentioned Frank Wilson at LSU and looks forward to continuing to build the bond with the new folks in Baton Rouge."
Florida might be LSU’s strongest competition in this battle, thanks to the Gators’ addition of former Tigers assistant Corey Raymond.
Raymond, a Louisiana native, was a key part of Mathews’ recruitment to LSU.
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Mathews, 6-foot-2/193 lbs from Ponchatoula, LA, is ranked in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 4 safety in the country and the No. 3 player in Louisiana.