LSU 2022 CLASS RECRUITING UPDATE: ANSWERS? OR MORE INTRIGUING ?'S THAN YOU CAN FATHOM?

by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

@LonnPhillips

This will continue to be updated with more information as it comes into us, we're still waiting for replies from a few young men, even a few who aren't on this list:

KEEP CHECKING BACK IN:

HAROLD PERKINS

Although I'm told "he's still undecided" by his Uncle Kevin Thomas, I believe he's leaning towards A&M, what with the uncertainty around LSU's coaching staff, specifically LB Coach Blake Baker's future, with the former Miami DC still unable to establish a firm relationship, coupled alongside A&M's steady growth in the SEC West beating Alabama this year and finishing in the top 10 in 2020.

There's still time to grab the overall athlete of the 2022 class....especially if Scott Woodward can convince Harold himself :

"Hey Harold, you know why Texas A&M are in the position they're in right now? Because of my tenure there, hiring Jimbo, bringing Austin Thomas from LSU back to A&M for a few years, we built something they're about to finish riding, right now. But that's about to end, and what we're starting again at LSU, Austin as GM and myself as the AD, will be A&M on steroids. You think A&M are legit? You think they can contend? You need to see LSU in full flight....without distractions...without bullshit....without ineptitude...back to basics, back to purple & gold, back to DBU, back to LBU...and that's what we're going to supply, Harold."

Make no mistake, Harold Perkins is an absolute freak of a linebacker, but he's also showing out on the offensive side as a senior, posting ridiculous rushing numbers, and even dominating through the air.

Perkins is a player LSU absolutely need going forward....losing out on such a talent to an SEC West rival would be a major blow.

Thus far, Perkins has 17 total touchdowns, 13 on the ground, 3 in the air, and this past Friday in Cy Creek's first loss of the season, a close 42-37 defeat at the hands of Cypress Woods, Perkins intercepted a pass and ran it back 96 yards for a touchdown....simply incredible.

Scoring multiple touchdowns in every game until the last two Fridays, while the INT TD RET continues his streak of scoring through each outing, Perkins is an extraterrestrial athletic freak of nature, bringing the mothership down from the sky with each touch....

"I think I see a mothership comin'...."

VERDICT: Based on where my info is at right now, Texas A&M for the win here....unless LSU get their asses in gear and push for Perkins in the manner I just set forth above.

I know he loves LSU, I know he wants to play for LSU, I know he wants to come back to his hometown of New Orleans, hang with his Uncle Kevin and absolutely become a Tigers Legend, but there's far too much uncertainty and straight up madness going around for him to trust LSU's environment.

Truth be told, there is no other school with the track record of developing talents as multi-dimensional or as versatile as Harold Perkins:

Only LSU, with their development of Devin White and Patrick Queen from LBs who could run the ball into RB-cancelling LBs, unleashing their side to side athleticism and freeing up their ability to make plays, there's really only one place that can even handle a talent like Harold Perkins:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

2021 STATS

790 RUSHING YARDS

51 CARRIES

15.5 AVG PER RUSH

13 RUSHING TDs

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224 RECEIVING YARDS

10 CATCHES

22.4 AVG PER CATCH

3 TDs

-Long catches of 57, 46 and 39

1,123 ALL PURPOSE YARDS

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17 TACKLES (13 SOLO)

3 TFLs

2 SACKS

2 INTs

-1 INT TD RET

16 QB HURRIES

WALKER HOWARD

This is where things get interesting...and potentially very scary:

A recruit who was once an LSU lock isn't looking like such a sure bet right now.

With Walker taking a recent visit to Notre Dame (which had been postponed after his injury weeks ago), plus an attachment to LSU Offensive Coordinator Jake Peetz, who's been the subject of extreme criticism throughout the Tigers' fanbase and is most likely on his way out, things will get interesting when it concerns Walker Howard's future.....LSU fans may need to change their pants a few times during NSD.

It would be the most critical blow to LSU's next five years if we were to lose out on such a guaranteed Louisiana talent....an LSU Legacy....but then again, Jamie Howard shouldn't have 100% loyalty for LSU concerning his son: LSU didn't have 100% loyalty for Jamie back in the day....and that's just the truth......so, why should he make sure his son goes to LSU no matter who they hire?

"The head coaching pick does matter...." Jamie Howard has said, referencing the future Head Coaching decision as a major axis of power in Walker's 2022 recruitment.

Right now, Walker is leaning toward LSU of course....but with the uncertainty, the shroud of secrecy around the head coaching picks, you have to believe that Walker Howard will be among the first to know Woodward's ultimate pick...merely to keep his signature on National Signing Day.

Losing a footballer like Walker Howard could be catastrophic: Not only is he one of the most talented quarterbacks to come out of the Great State of Louisiana, as many LSU fans stare down the uncertain, possibly bleak near future without the St Thomas More QB, a feeling of cold chills begin to emanate up our backs....

LSU have to get this right, and they might actually have to keep Jake Peetz for another season in order to retain Walker Howard, if that relationship is as deep as we've been told....which, coming from Jamie Howard and Walker himself, I've been told it's as strong of a bond between a coach and player as could possibly be.

Our recruiting coordinators cannot afford to pretend that the devout LSU loving Louisiana-native Walker Howard is a guarantee....far from it.

Will the Tigers need to roll the dice with Jake Peetz for another season in order to keep Walker Howard's commitment?

Or is this simply all about the head coaching hire?

VERDICT: 50/50, of course I want to say Walker is coming no matter what, but we can't just hire some joke at Head Coach and expect him to buy in.....he will not gamble with his future, not with his abilities, not with his football IQ, or his driven personality.

Until the name is in the bag, it's really hard to see where Walker's head is at, even from our "slightly high" vantage point on the totem pole.

WILL CAMPBELL

Telling Geaux247 he'd have to "get back to them on that one" about his future and whether Coach Ed Orgeron's firing has changed his mind about committing to his hometown Tigers,

That should worry every Tiger fan.

Will Campbell is an OL beast who's not only told us "Brad Davis is the best OL Coach in the country", I think he's almost as loyal to Davis as he is LSU:

Campbell is likely not going to sign for LSU if the Tigers oust Davis after only a season in which he couldn't install his own philosophy upon players he didn't recruit.

I cannot see LSU getting rid of Baton Rouge-native Brad Davis after one season (remember, this guy barely had any time with this OL). Davis is someone who is held in such high regard, and for a position the Tigers desperately need help at, Scott Woodward would be a fool if he got rid of Brad Davis....not only shipping out the best OL Coach in the country (who isn't Sam Pittman), but in one fell swoop most likely disenfranchising / disengaging Will Campbell and potentially more.

VERDICT: He stays committed....unless Woodward fires Brad Davis, which is very unlikely, OR if Walker Howard heads elsewhere, Will may be inclined to follow.

EMERY JONES

photo by Sam Spiegelman

Could Emery Jones be another 5 star OL out of Louisiana who could decommit from the LSU Tigers during this hazardous time?

We have reached out to Emery for a comment, but haven't received an answer yet. He did tell us he was doing "pretty good" as of right now; most likely he doesn't want to answer questions even he doesn't have the answer to...

This will be updated with further information when it becomes available.

VERDICT: He stays committed....unless Woodward fires Brad Davis, which is very unlikely.

JAKE JOHNSON

Juker Jake Johnson told LSUODYSSEY.COM's Lonn Phillips Sullivan that the Coach Orgeron firing will not effect his commitment.

His dream is to play with his older brother Max, and he's hellbent on making that happen.

Not only that, Jake belongs in an SEC offense, he's a freak of nature out wide, and he continues to rack up filthy numbers while only receiving limited looks:

From just 38 catches, Jake has turned those numbers into 8 TDs and 625 receiving yards, as well as pumping over 16 yards per catch.

An unbelievable weapon, a high character young man, and he's got Champion Blood.

VERDICT: Unless something crazy happens with Max's future, Jake is headed to LSU.

QUENCY WIGGINS

Roasting 7 sacks through his first few games, Quency Wiggins has already gone from strength to strength, burying the class's #1 QB Walker Howard for 2.5 sacks and numerous pressures during their epic showdown, as well as leading Madison Prep's 7-1 state title defending-quest by way of their most recent victory, a gutty 2-0 win over Baker.

To illustrate his dominance, this past weekend, Quency and Madison Prep's defense shut out Baker for the second consecutive season.

Since Wiggins began starting games at DE, Madison Prep have ripped out 5 shutouts and 2 offensive shutouts....crazy numbers.

This is a physical group full of intimidating vagabonds...hungry for the bloodlust of every opponent bold enough to step on the field across from 'em....

During 2020, playing as a junior among one of the state's best defenses, Wiggins racked up 47 tackles (top 5 on the team), 14 TFLs (#1 on the team), a fumble returned for a touchdown, and 7 sacks (tied for 1st).

Posting 11 sacks so far this season, Quency has already usurped his 2020 tally...and in classic style.

But will he stay home and become a Tiger?

VERDICT: 50/50....I feel Alabama are the only ones really battling us for this young man. Quency has so many friends along the LSU staff, he's got plenty of support and love from the team itself....but that was over the summer.....after a trip to LSU to see the Auburn defeat, is Quency Wiggins ready to call it quits on his hometown Tigers?

I feel we will not know until triple zeroes, but if there's one site that will know?

This very site....and if you're a subscriber, that means you, too.

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UPDATES WILL BE POSTED UNDER THE NAME OF EACH CORRESPONDING TIGER COMMIT OR TARGET

by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

@LonnPhillips

Copyright 2021 Uninterrupted Writings Inc

SHOUTOUTS: All the 2022 recruits, please stay.....but if you find there's better avenues for your future, that's fine....but please, please, please give our new Head Coach a chance before making your decision...give Scott Woodward's decision-making a chance. This is the man who can revolutionize a program in a millisecond....look at what he did to Texas A&M: they're still profiting off of Scott Woodward's moves.