A Deeper Look Into Tigers Recent Recruiting Success

LSU's meteoric rise in recruiting rankings a product of diligent plan by staff, successful June official visits

The Tigers recent success on the recruiting trail didn’t happen overnight. Head coach Brian Kelly and his freshly assembled coaching staff understood it was going to be a work in progress before accepting the job.

With Kelly essentially cleaning house, this program had the challenge of developing relationships with prospects in a rushed manner, knowing their 2022 class may not come out the way many had hoped for.

Instead, Kelly took to the transfer portal to get things right. Attacking positions of need and adding depth to this roster, the portal became Kelly’s best friend. Losing players after the departure of Ed Orgeron and others to the NFL Draft, moves needed to be made and this coaching staff took the challenges head on to get this roster intact.

It’s important for the coaching staff to be on the same page, and due to Kelly’s organization and discipline, he put together a staff that has the same vision as his from the ground up. Putting a roster together that suits their game plan best was phase one, and thanks to the portal, it’s looking as though it was constructed to their benefit.

"They wanted to earn our trust first and then build off of that. And they've earned it, definitely."@LSUfootball senior tight end Nick Storz on new head coach Brian Kelly + #LSU staff.

"I think we're going to be right back at that standard, come the first game of the year." pic.twitter.com/sdo0v2g2Be

— Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) July 2, 2022

After attacking the portal to get the roster right for the 2022 season, this program is already building for the future in a masterful way. With spring camp being used to dissect positions of need for the Tigers, this staff also used it as a chance to host 2023 prospects. Once players were on campus, LSU began to see their plan take shape.

Unfazed by the minimal number of players committed in the 2023 cycle in April, this staff understood the summer would be where the dominoes started falling their way.

"I'm not panicked by the fact that we only have a handful of commitments right now," recruiting coordinator Brian Polian said during spring camp. "I think things will speed up here over the next four to six weeks. We're set up for some summer visits but I feel like we're on pace. The evaluation process has been really thorough and the coaches have been fantastic."

Kelly and his staff held a number of official visitors over the months of May and June. The chance to get recruits to meet the new coaching staff and develop relationships was a key piece to the puzzle and this recruiting department executed their plan to perfection.

247Composite 2023 recruiting rankings
** Avg. rank of commits (Min. 10)
1. Alabama 94.07
2. Ohio State 93.76
3. Notre Dame 93.07
4. Georgia 92.47
5. USC 92.07
6. Clemson 91.93
7. Miami 91.59
8. LSU 91.47
9. Texas 91.46

— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) July 4, 2022

Now entering July, LSU is seeing their efforts pay off. The Tigers have secured eight 2023 prospects just two weeks into the month with a number of them being program changing recruits.

Here is who we seen commit in the 2023 cycle this month:

• Five-star wide receiver Jalen Brown
• Four-star edge rusher Jaxon Howard
• Four-star defensive lineman Dashawn Womack
• Four-star edge rusher Joshua Mickens
• Four-star defensive lineman Darron Reed
• Three-star cornerback Jeremiah Hughes
• Three-star cornerback Ashton Stamps
• Three-star linebacker Whit Weeks

This coaching staff isn’t just attacking the 2023 class, they’re dipping into the 2024 cycle as well, securing three prospects this summer in four-star athlete Joseph Stone, four-star safety Maurice Williams and three-star linebacker Xavier Atkins.

Preparing for the future to get this program back on track is what this coaching staff is doing and they’re making it happen fast. The 2023 class is heating up in a big way and it isn’t showing signs of slowing down.

The Tigers sit in great position with five-star wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr., four-star running back Kaleb Jackson and four-star offensive lineman Zalance Heard. With all three being in-state prospects that could be the cherry on top to an elite 2023 class, it’s safe to say this coaching staff will have their foot on the gas to secure them.

Coach Kelly came to Death Valley with a plan, and as we reach the backend of his first offseason at the helm of LSU football, it appears to be going well.