Four-star quarterback Miller Moss made an interesting comment in a recent interview about LSU - one of his four finalists - when he said, “LSU is always a quarterback away from a national championship.”
That proved to be true with Ohio State transfer Joe Burrow, who had a historic season, won the Heisman Trophy and led the Tigers to a national championship. This past week, Burrow became the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
LSU had an outstanding draft weekend with 14 selections, with Burrow, defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson, receiver Justin Jefferson, linebacker Patrick Queen and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire going in the first round alone.
Coach Ed Orgeron and the Tigers have been on an incredible run.
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MORE ASK FARRELL: Will FSU bounce back from draft dry spell? | Is Texas No. 1 state for high school talent?
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
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LSU finished with the fourth-best recruiting class in the 2020 team rankings and Louisiana has proven to be able to keep in-state talent home, another important consideration when building championship teams. As reported Thursday, there were 12 NFL Draft picks that played their high school ball in Louisiana and 11 ended up staying in the state for college.
And LSU is on a great run to start the 2021 class as well, as the Tigers recently landed commitments from four-star defensive end Landon Jackson and four-star receiver JoJo Earle. Both of those players are from the state of Texas, where LSU has had great success recruiting over the years.
But can this level of success be maintained?
Clemson is getting stronger. Alabama is hungry to return to the pinnacle of college football. Ohio State is improving under second-year coach Ryan Day. Oklahoma is always in the picture. Georgia has won three straight team recruiting titles and is loaded for a title run. Others are emerging as well.
FARRELL'S TAKE
We ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell if LSU has staying power on the national scene, or if others are destined to overtake the Tigers. It has been an epic run for them, but could it be be short-lived?
“Based on the way the Tigers are recruiting, you have to think they will be around for the long haul under Orgeron, which is something I didn’t think I would say. Yes, Burrow was a huge part of what LSU did last season, but based on the NFL Draft, he was obviously surrounded by a ton of talent, and there is plenty of talent left. And watch out for LSU in the JT Daniels transfer battle, because he’s a quarterback who could come in right away and keep them as a very scary football team. Burrow’s success will bring quarterbacks and if they can continue to develop them, then all will be well at LSU.”
