2022 CLASS PREDICTIONS: 1.0
Updated: Jun 8
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KEVIN H, MATTHEW O, TANNER & ROBERT!!!!
by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
With June's camps fast approaching for the LSU Tigers' 2022 recruits and their families, Coach Orgeron's staff are due to have an intense month of June...the longest dead period of all time will finally be over....recruits will be able to finally witness LSU's 2019 National Championship trophy in the flesh, as well as our 2007 and 2003 BCS title crystal balls, every individual award from Joe & Billy's Heisman trophies to Claiborne's Thorpe Award, or the rest of our state of the art facility's immaculately themed rooms.
During June and the coming summer months, LSU will look to fill out the rest of their class based mostly around camp participants, as Coach O highlighted the plethora of former Tiger greats and current NFL players who camped with us.
Regardless of who's camping or not, LSU ODYSSEY is predicting the 12 remaining spots left for the Tigers:
I feel at WR there will be some movement: I don't expect LSU to hang on to both Aaron Anderson & A.J Johnson;
With each scholarship being so key, expect Coach Orgeron's recruiting team to be purposeful, yet with many options / layers to their decisions.
But LSU won't be processing more than one or two slots, and only for the most mutually beneficial of situations.
Typically, comparing LSU to Alabama isn't always a bad thing when it comes to winning football games, but if we're talking about processing recruits, Alabama will always stand alone as a dynasty at manipulating young men just before the 11th hour.
And that's a title we'll let their sinking reputation hold on to.....
There's much more to our 2022 recruiting strategy than securing the right players....2022 is about sending a message.
When it comes down to the wire, Ed Orgeron understands the stakes:
The 2022 class possesses some of the most stacked talent we've seen in some time, specifically out of the state of Louisiana, led by 5 stars Walker Howard, Will Campbell and Jacoby Mathews...all three are now "hard Tiger commits".
Currently ranked as the #3 national recruiting class, marginally behind Smart's resurgent Georgia & Day's Ohio State, we will witness the Tigers take the #1 spot later this summer, positioning themselves for the highest ranked class in purple & gold history.
Expect more recruits to have their ratings rise to the 5 star level, but more than anything, it's time the national college football landscape get used to the next #1 recruiting force....
There's a new sheriff in town...
2022 CLASS AS IT STANDS:
-WALKER HOWARD
(QB ST THOMAS MORE)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
-JACOBY MATHEWS
(S/QB PONCHATOULA)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
-WILL CAMPBELL
(OT NEVILLE)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
-AARON ANDERSON
(WR EDNA KARR)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
-LATERRANCE WELCH
(CB ACADIANA)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
-JAKE JOHNSON
(TE/WR OCONEE)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
-BO BORDELON
(OT NEWMAN)
⭐⭐⭐
-JADARIAN RHYM
(CB VALDOSTA)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
-DECOLDEST CRAWFORD
(WR GREEN OAKS)
⭐⭐⭐
-A.J JOHNSON
(WR NEWMAN)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
-LUCAS TAYLOR
(OG ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL)
⭐⭐⭐
-MARCUS SCOTT II
(CB COLLEGE PARK)
⭐⭐⭐
-TYGEE HILL
(DT EDNA KARR)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
NOW....OUR PREDICTIONS:
-SHAZZ PRESTON
(WR ST. JAMES)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Coached by the legendary champion Robert Valdez, teammates with current Tiger Saivion Jones and an entrenched Louisiana juggernaut, Shazz Preston was a key member of St James' undefeated 2019 squad, pulling off 1,018 receiving yards on their way to a huge title game victory in the Superdome.
Shazz is a big play machine, registering a play of 37 yards or more in every game throughout 2019....and he didn't stop there:
Last year's semifinal run was led by Preston's 9 scores for 865 yards, while producing five 100+ yard receiving performances, six games of 5+ catches, and averaging over 12.2 yards per catch on eight occasions (averaging over 19 yards in five more appearances).
Possessing an elite wide receiving body, exacting hands and the kind of speed Mickey Joseph appreciates, look for Preston to hook up with the Tigers on his "YAC Tour".
Many were claiming Preston would be leaving the state of Louisiana for another program, all due to the Tigers signing three other wide outs before Shazz....but this isn't a young man who has his feelings hurt by a little competition.
Instead, he thrives in that setting....on that big stage.
Could he wear the #7 in the future at LSU???
CHECK OUT OUR INTERVIEW WITH COACH ROBERT VALDEZ, TALKING SHAZZ, SAIVION & ST JAMES' 2019 & 2020
-KENDRICK LAW
(WR/S/RET CAPTAIN SHREVE)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A special athlete possessing both the speed and playmaking reminiscent of WR Kayshon Boutte at Westgate (add a dash of Tyrann Mathieu), Law actually seems to be all over Daronte Jones / Corey Raymond's radar as a safety.
Utilizing his all-encompassing aerial skills, ability to close down space, smart football IQ alongside his total DBU swagger, it makes sense to deploy Law's blistering stamina at the "most important position in the game".
When you watch the Captain Shreve ATH on the field, it becomes apparent that this young man is a "law unto himself", pulling off stunning moments of mastercraft in the return game, too.
Kendrick Law is one of my favorite players of the 2022 class, emblematic of the growing versatility amid Louisiana's superstars: Law is one of those rare guys who the team will have an issue deciding whether he'll play "offense or defense"....either side will lose a major asset and threat when LSU's final choice is made.
Though Florida State, Alabama and Sarkisian's Texas are in the hunt for the top jack-of-all-trades, I have a sense the Shreveport-native is favoring LSU heavily at this time due to the Tigers loyalty (beating all the other top offers to the punch with the first major SEC offer). Kendrick is also digging the dual recruitment and the abundant options in Baton Rouge (as far as positions he can choose and / or play).
CHECK OUT OUR FIRST PROFILE ON KENDRICK LAW
-EMERY JONES
(OT CATHOLIC)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
In last week's exclusive interview with LSU Odyssey, I asked Emery Jones "what's the first word that comes to your mind when you think of LSU?"
His answer?
"Home."
Jones is a total lock and would be another major boost for James Cregg's elite 2022 OL haul, proving the recruiting pedigree of the Joe Moore Award-winner beyond doubt.
If you thought Cregg displayed incredible commitment in signing 2021 & 2020 OL Garrett Dellinger or Anthony Bradford out of Michigan, snagging Damien Lewis from the JUCO ranks & turning him into an NFL starter, then just wait for Cregg's pursuit of Emery Jones to reach its ultimate climax:
James Cregg won't stop for anything.