“That coffee is for closers.”
This is part of Alec Baldwin’s speech in the movie “Glengarry Glen Ross” talking about the world of sales and how you only earn the coffee when you close the deal. Based off of Coach Ed Orgeron’s performance on National Signing Day, he deserves that cup of coffee.
Did he miss out on some of the big targets? Yes, but he was able to get most of those big names and end up with one of the top recruiting classes in the nation according to 247Sports. For all that happened after the firing of Les Miles, this recruiting class was a big win.
Stars of the Class
This recognition goes to two of the early enrollees; one on the offensive side and the other on defense. Austin Deculus is a big hoss that has the potential to make an impact in September. That being said, most if not all of the early enrollees have a significant advantage when it comes to getting on the field quicker because they will be a part of spring practice. However, Deculus’s size and strength makes him a very strong candidate to be a part of the offensive line.
When it comes to crown jewels for the LSU Tigers, JaCoby Stevens has to be at the top of the list. The five-star safety from Murfreesboro, Tennessee can add depth to that position and give the secondary a boost.
Blue Chippers
Looking at the rest of the 2017 recruiting class for LSU, the talent is solid with guys like Clyde-Edwards Helaire and Myles Brennan. The quarterback position just got a lot more interesting with the inclusion of Brennan and Lowell Narcisse. Matt Canada will be having a lot more control over how this offense is run and has an interesting decision when it comes to who will be under center for 2017. While Danny Etling has made a strong case of being the starter last season, he will have to fight for it with the talent that is coming in.
When you look at the sole running back in the 2017 class, Clyde-Edwards Helaire is a slam dunk. LSU needed to try and fill the void of losing Leonard Fournette and prepare for life after Derrius Guice. This might be the best case scenario for LSU as Helaire has been touted as being better than his star rating is.
Overall Thoughts
This year’s LSU recruiting class is stellar. There are tons of players that could make an immediate impact and could do big things in 2018 and beyond after spending time learning the system.
The biggest thing that I’m looking forward to out of this class is how these players will be used under new offensive coordinator Matt Canada. While they missed out on some big time targets, the way this recruiting class looks considering everything that’s happened since September is very promising. Imagine the talent they could get with a full year of Coach O leading the way.
Grade: A-
-Clint Domingue