By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine
I’ve covered LSU recruiting since 1991 and before that would follow Tiger football with my dad, a youth league coach for football when he was not a full-time electrician.
I remember my dad talking about former LSU greats of the 1940s and 1950s who were not from Louisiana, players like running back Billy Cannon, who moved to Louisiana from Mississippi; running back Steve Van Buren, Honduran-born Pro Football Hall of Famer; and former All-SEC and NFL quarterback Y.A. Tittle from Marshall, Texas, plus many others.
I remember in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, LSU’s out-of-state pipeline was mainly hooked to Texas: former Minnesota Vikings defensive back Willie Teal, All-American running back Charles Alexander from Galveston, plus defensive tackle Henry Thomas, linebacker Eric Hill, and offensive guard Dan Alexander.
Then in the early 2000s, LSU got more great players from Florida, players like All-America defensive back Patrick Peterson, All-SEC receiver Dwayne Bowe, defensive back Rashard Robinson (currently with Tampa Bay’s Bucs), and former NFL defensive tackle Ego Ferguson.
But for the past 10-15 years, it seems the state of Georgia has become the hot spot for LSU’s out-of-state recruiting.
And it seems as if every former LSU player from the state of Georgia has made a significant impact with the program. Former players like quarterback Zach Mettenberger, quarterback Anthony Jennings, wide receiver Sheddrick Wilson, linebacker Kelvin Shepard, linebacker Perry Riley, and offensive tackle Vadal Alexander. All of these players except Jennings played and/or started in the NFL.
Currently LSU might have the most players from Georgia who are currently in the NFL but did not play for Georgia, players like fullback Tory Carter (Tennessee Titans), long snappers Reid Ferguson (Buffalo Bills) and Blake Ferguson (Miami Dolphins), defensive end Arden Key (Jacksonville Jaguars), and linebacker Kevin Minter, a free agent who will likely get picked up this fall.
The current LSU roster has five quality players from Georgia in linebacker West Weeks (6-3, 230-pound sophomore transfer from Virginia), senior free safety/strong safety Jay Ward (6-1, 188), sophomore outside linebacker Zavier Carter (6-4, 210), senior offensive guard Tre’Mond Shorts (6-5, 340), and junior All-America candidate B.J. Ojulari (6-3, 255), LSU’s outstanding outside linebacker/defensive end. All five have a solid chance to play in the NFL.
The future LSU recruiting class in 2023 has commitments already from four Georgia natives: linebacker Whit Weeks (6-2, 215), safety Michael Daugherty (6-1, 180), center Paul Mubenga (6-4 285), and defensive lineman Darron Reed (6-4, 270), each considered an NFL prospect, even this early.
The Class of 2024 for LSU already has commitments from two players from Georgia in cornerback Zion Ferguson (6-0, 165), considered one of the best cornerbacks in the country, and athlete Joseph Stone (5-11, 180), each from the same high school in Grayson, which is also the same high school as 2023 commit Daughtery.
Tidbits on LSU recruiting
Buford High School commit Paul Mugenga, Class of 2023, attends the same high school as former LSU players Vadal Alexander and Blake Ferguson did.
LSU commit Whit Weeks (LB, 2023, as previously mentioned) attends Watkinsville High, as did his brother, West, who currently plays for LSU. Watkinsville is the former school of two former LSU QBs, Mettenberger and Max Johnson.
Current LSU outside linebacker Xavier Carter is from the same Georgia high school as former LSU defensive end Arden Key — Hapeville Charter High in Atlanta.
The only big-time recruits I can remember that did not work out from the state of Georgia for LSU are tight end Arik Gilbert from Marietta, who is now with the Georgia Bulldogs, and defensive tackle Melvin Richey, who got hurt early in his LSU career and would have been a NFL defensive tackle if not for a career-ending injury. Melvin was 6-4, 315 pounds with 4.8 speed in the 40 and stayed at LSU after his injury and earned his degree.
The reason LSU has had such recruiting success in Georgia is the state produces too many NFL players for Georgia’s Bulldogs to sign them all, plus LSU doesn’t have to battle the Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma Sooners, and Texas A&M Aggies as much for players that far east. As one LSU coach told me, the well runs deep in Peach Country.
Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com