Take Two: Has LSU's explosive 'O' locked up 5-star Rakim Jarrett?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue in the college football landscape. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell and an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites or a regional analyst.
THE STORYLINE
Rakim Jarrett committed to LSU in late April, months before the Tigers had a chance to show off their new offense that has been humming along in the first month of the season.
The five-star receiver from Washington (D.C.) St. John’s has now closely watched LSU as its averaging nearly 58 points per game. Quarterback Joe Burrow is entering the Heisman Trophy discussion as he’s thrown for 1,520 yards and 17 touchdowns in four games.
Receivers Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall are all putting up major numbers.
There has always been chatter that Tennessee was a major contender to flip Jarrett, that Ohio State was not giving up and that Maryland might be able to convince him to stay home.
Those possibilities still exist.
But as Jarrett watches this high-octane LSU offense this season, has his commitment to the Tigers only strengthened or is there still serious competition out there to flip the five-star receiver before signing day?
FIRST TAKE: Adam Friedman, Mid-Atlantic analyst
“The way the Tigers have been able to produce offensively definitely helps their chances of holding on to Jarrett. They’re spreading the ball around and it’s a wide-open offense and that’s much more appealing to receivers than the offense has been in the past.
“Tennessee is struggling a lot and that really hurts its chances with him but as long as quarterback Harrison Bailey is still committed, there’s a good chance he does flip in the end. As the season goes on, we’ll find out more about where Jarrett is leaning and what his thought process is. If I had to make a prediction now, I think he stays with LSU but we’ll see what happens at the end of the season.”
SECOND TAKE: Mike Farrell, National recruiting director
“He has to be happy with the LSU offense. It’s a different offense than we’ve seen in a long time. He liked LSU for a lot of different reasons – mainly because it produced receivers like Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham. The Tigers have never had an offense that looks like this. That has to help.
“If anybody is going to get him, it could be Maryland where he’d want to stay home. Tennessee is still in there but it is struggling on the field. I know Tee Martin and some others are doing a good job recruiting him for Tennessee, but I would say LSU right now or if he flipped late it would probably be Maryland.”
