I have done some digging around on a few things and here are some tidbits to pass along as we enter a busy couple days for the LSU staff.
***
Kelvin Joseph is done. He’s going to sign with LSU next Wednesday after committing to the Tigers (again) earlier this month. He’s one of their top pickups on defense in this class and definitely one of the better safeties in the country. Alabama and others have tried getting involved earlier this month, but he shut all that down. Told others he was done with visits and all that, so he’s not expected anywhere this weekend.
KELVIN JOSEPH
BATON ROUGE, LA
(SCOTLANDVILLE MAGNET)
247SPORTS COMPOSITE
0.9784
LSU
HARD COMMIT1/6/2018
*** Let’s start with
Patrick Surtain Jr.. Sources I have spoken to on the LSU side feel they are still in the same position they have always been in (though it’s definitely a tighter feeling now in crunch time), but know that tomorrow night (Thursday) is an important in-home visit for them. Overall, conversations between the Surtain side and LSU side have remained the same before and after this recent string of visits, a source close to the situation said. It looks like he will end up taking all four official visits this month meaning it went LSU-Alabama-Clemson-Miami in that order. There’s been rumblings that Miami could make a serious run this weekend, but I still see it being LSU vs. Alabama right now. We can reassess if the Canes have a real shot to pull off the late grab after he goes down there and spends a few days this weekend. Alabama sources I have spoken with feel as they did after the visit. Still the same stance. The Tide made a great impression and now it’s a closer battle than LSU fans were hoping for. That said, everyone knows it’s a big week for their in-home visits.
It’s worth noting that Surtain is going to Miami this weekend with teammate Tyson Campbell. It’s also a dog fight for him, and as LSU has been considered the team to beat for Surtain, Georgia has been the one to beat for Campbell.
Ed Orgeron is going in-home with Corey Raymond tomorrow night as they meet with the Surtain family. LSU will be the final in-home visit of the evening. Unless a team goes in-home on Friday before he leaves for Miami (if he does indeed make that visit), Orgeron and Raymond will be one of the last coaches in the house, if not the last. By the time he got back from Miami on Sunday, we would be in a quiet period where nobody could meet with coaches unless it was on campus. Then Monday is the dead period and Wednesday is National Signing Day. From what I have gathered, LSU-Alabama-Clemson will all be in-home tomorrow. Likely more will see him, too.
I am not moving off my LSU Crystal Ball right now. I believe that with the relationship Pat Sr. and his wife and son have with all these colleges, the teams won’t go into next Wednesday blind. They will know if they need to come up with a back plan and move on. That’s what I have gathered from different sources close to the situation.
Also, this just in, Surtain will announce at 8:30 a.m. CST on ESPN’s Signing Day show. So it will be one of the first announcements of the day.
PATRICK SURTAIN JR.
- CB
- 6-1.25
- 199
- CLASS OF 18
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
(AMERICAN HERITAGE)
247SPORTS COMPOSITE
0.9973
*** I still feel good about LSU’s chances with 5-star WR
JaMarr Chase. He made the LSU visit to start the month and has not been anywhere else yet. It’s down to Auburn and LSU and he is set to visit Auburn this weekend. I have not talked to anyone on the AU side who tells me they have confidence and that he might wind up there. Things are definitely still trending towards LSU at the moment.
JAMARR CHASE
METAIRIE, LA
(ARCHBISHOP RUMMEL)
247SPORTS COMPOSITE
0.9589
*** The Crystal Ball is rolling in with picks for Clemson to land 4-star ATH
Mario Goodrich. But it’s not dead just yet. LSU DB coach
Corey Raymond went in-home with Goodrich and his family last night, and the interest from that side is still serious. If he popped to Clemson, they didn’t express that last night. Instead, I think it comes down to what happens with LSU and the final spot. They are at 21 signees now. 22 with a commitment from
Kelvin Joseph. They can’t go over 25. That means three spots are open. Chase is expected to land in one to get them to 23. They have a spot for Surtain, obviously. If he sticks with the way he’s been leaning for all his process, that will put them to 24. Then it’s Goodrich and
James Foster there at the top as the next man in, and both are planning to announce on NSD (though they will likely tell the staff they are committing to that it’s a go beforehand so that they can have the spot).
MARIO GOODRICH
LEES SUMMIT, MO
(LEE'S SUMMIT WEST)
247SPORTS COMPOSITE
0.9492
*** LSU goes in-home with
James Foster tonight in Alabama. The trip will include Ed Orgeron, so he will see Foster tonight and Surtain tomorrow night. LSU still feels like they are alive here but do realize that it’s a big battle, and that FSU - who many think has an edge - gets him this weekend. They are going to roll out their big pitch for him tonight to try to land him. We will see if they can get some momentum and keep it through the weekend and into next week. Foster’s camp has still been receptive and communicating about things since his visit to kick off the month, and the LSU side feels like they do have a shot. How good of a shot it is remains to be seen. But with the need for a QB and a CB in this class, they have those guys as the next two up, and both are still being recruited hard.
JAMES FOSTER
MONTGOMERY, AL
(LANIER)
247SPORTS COMPOSITE
0.9055
