Breaking down LSU’s early period signing class

By Hunt Palmer

The early signing period has come and gone.

LSU’s class is small in numbers, just 14 players, but it packs a punch. LSU’s average star ranking tops the country according to Rivals. Lane Kiffin took the LSU job for a number of reasons, but access to top ranked high school players was among the top.

The class includes a pair of five stars from the state, defensive linemen Lamar Brown and Richard Anderson. Eleven four-star and a three star round things out, and eight of the 14 hail from Louisiana.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the class.

Lamar Brown, 5-star, DL – Brown was among the first visitors to Kiffin’s office when the new coach arrived in Baton Rouge. The University Lab star possesses an elite combination of size and athleticism that had experts debating whether he’d play offensive tackle or defensive line in college. At 6-foot-4 and 285 lbs., Brown projects to the defensive line where he can play on the edge or interior. LSU’s defensive line class is the best in the country, and Brown is the headliner.

Richard Anderson, 5-star, DT – They call him “Big Rich.” That’s for good reason. Anderson is 6-foot-4 and tips the scales at 350 pounds. 247sports calls him the best defensive lineman in the country. Rivals has him at No. 2. He’s explosive for his size and used that power to produce 10 sacks as a junior at Edna Karr. Anderson was the first commitment to the class and has the look of the next great Tiger defensive tackle.

Deuce Geralds, 4-star, DL – Because of Brown and Anderson, Geralds isn’t a headliner in this class. He probably should be. He was a favorite of the outgoing staff. Geralds doesn’t possess the hulking size of Anderson and Brown, but at 6-foot-1 and 268 pounds, he plays with great leverage on the defensive interior. Ole Miss made a late run at Geralds who also held offers from Ohio State, Alabama and Oregon.

Trenton Henderson, 4-star, Edge – The fourth of four elite defensive line prospects, Henderson is the lone edge player in the class. He’s 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, which means he’s got some weight to add to his frame. Henderson’s highlight tape features a ton of disruption. He gets up the field quickly and has great pass rushing instincts.

Brysten Martinez, 4-star, OT – Martinez is the top offensive line man in the state of Louisiana. He’s nearly 6-foot-6 and just shy of 300 pounds. And he’s an exceptional athlete. That athleticism allowed him to play significant snaps at tight end as a senior. Martinez projects as a tackle. 247sports ranks him the No. 9 tackle in the country.

Jabari Mack, 4-star, WR – Mack is a playmaker. He took a lot of direct snaps for Dutchtown because of it. He’s got good size and 6-feet and 200 pounds. The speed is obvious, and he’s got some shake to him, as well. Kiffin and his staff have an excellent eye for wide receivers, and they were selective when they got to LSU. Mack was an obvious take.

Corey Barber, 4-star, WR – Barber is another exciting wide out prospect that Kiffin and his staff recruited hard to Ole Miss. When Kiffin left for LSU, so did Barber. He produced over 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior and also runs track. Barber is explosive with the ball in his hands and projects as a slot wide out in college.

Aiden Hall, 4-star, S – Hall is a high school teammate of Richard Anderson at Edna Karr. The Cougars has 15 senior signees this year and are headed back to The Dome. He does a little bit of everything for the Karr secondary including play down in coverage and roam deep. He’ll add some weight to his 6-foot-1 frame and doesn’t have a problem coming down to tackle.

JC Anderson, 4-star, TE – Anderson flipped from Ole Miss to LSU with Kiffin’s staff. He’s a huge, 6-foot-6 target with good athleticism. He’s a high school basketball player. Anderson is a pass catcher first and will have to develop as a blocker. But the receiving aspect of his game has massive upside.

Isaiah Washington, 4-star, S – Washington comes from Haynesville, a small town with a big football tradition. He also plays basketball and runs track for the Tornados. He won state in the triple jump and hurdles. His frame is big at 6-foot-2, but he needs to add weight. Washington probably needs some time to develop from 1-A football to the SEC, but his size and traits make him an attractive prospect.

Brayden Allen, 4-star, WR – Allen’s intentions were pretty clear when Kiffin got the LSU job. The Oklahoma commitment was in LSU’s football operations building that night. By Wednesday, he’d signed with the Tigers. There may not have been room for Allen in LSU’s wide receiver class when it included Kenny Darby. Kiffin staff made sure there was room. Allen is extremely quick and explosive after the catch. He’ll need to add weight before he gets to the field.

Dezyrian Ellis, 4-star, CB – Ellis is the first Winnsboro native to sign at LSU since Booger McFarland. He’s a classic Corey Raymond find, long and rangy at 6-foot-2. He played a lot of quarterback and runs track, so his athletic traits are exceptional. Raymond will have to teach the technique, but that’s his specialty.

Havon Finney, 4-star, CB – Where Ellis is the talented project, Finney is the blue-chip prospect. The 247sports composite ranks him the No. 9 corner in the class. He’s 6-foot-2 with great speed. He reclassified, so he’s young, but he’s got immense upside as a cornerback. Between Finney and DJ Pickett, Corey Raymond’s first two classes back at LSU have included monster prospects.

Ryan Miret, 3-star, OL – Miret was another Ole Miss flip with Kiffin’s staff. He comes from Miami as a bit of an under-the-radar prospect. He’s got a wrestling background and moved from defensive line to offensive line midway through his high school career. LSU needs a significant shakeup on the offensive line. Miret is one of two prospects in this high school class.