Having experienced talent is the key to producing a championship team. You are not going to win with guys who are in their first and second years in the program.
LSU signed 45 players in 2012-2013 who would be in their third or fourth year in the program. How much talent did those signees have? Of the 45 players, almost half (21) were three stars or less. So, that's not a great accumulation of talent.
There were only two five-star players signed in those two classes -- Tre'Davious White, a 3-year starter at CB, and Frank Herron, a back-up defensive tackle.
There are 15 players who could have been on the 2015 roster from these two classes who are no longer at LSU. The starters or potential starters in this group are LB Kwon Alexander (NFL), CB Rashard Robinson (academics), DE Danielle Hunter (NFL), DE Maquedius Bain (off-the-field issues) and fullback Melvin Jones (academics).
Here is a breakdown by position of signees from the 2012 and 2013 classes -- people who should form the core of your team.
WR
Travin Dural - starter - 4-star
John Diarse - rotation player - 4-star
Kevin Spears - doesn't play - 4-star
Avery Johnson - left program - 3-star
TE
Dillon Gordon - starter (injured) - 3-star
DeSean Smith - rotation player - 4-star
OL
Vadal Alexander - starter - 4-star
Jerald Hawkins - starter - 3-star
Ethan Pocic - starter - 4-star
KJ Malone - backup - 3-star
Josh Boutte - doesn't play - 4-star
Andy Dodd - doesn't play - 4-star
Derek Edinburgh - left program - 4-star
QB
Anthony Jennings - backup - 4-star
Hayden Rettig - left program - 4-star
Jeremy Liggins - never enrolled - 3-star
TB
None signed
FB
Melvin Jones - left program - 3-star (moved from LB)
Ronnie Feist - doesn't play - 3-star (moved from LB)
DL
Christian LaCouture - starter - 3-star
Lewis Neal - starter - 3-star
Tashawn Bower - rotation player - 4-star
Greg Gilmore - rotation player - 4-star
Frank Herron - rotation player - 5-star
MJ Patterson - doesn't play - 3-star
Danielle Hunter - left for NFL - 4-star
Maquedius Bain - left program - 3-star
LB
Kendell Beckwith - starter - 4-star
Deion Jones - starter - 3-star
Lamar Louis - starter - 4-star
Duke Riley - backup - 3-star
Kwon Alexander - left for NFL - 4-star
Trey Granier - left program - 3-star
Lorenzo Phillips - left program - 4-star
DB
Jalen Mills - starter - 3-star
Dwayne Thomas - starter - 4-star
Tre'Davious White - starter - 5-star
Corey Thompson - backup - 3-star
Ricky Jefferson - backup - 4-star
Kavahra Holmes - left program - 3-star (moved from WR)
Derrick Raymond - left program - 3-star
Jerqwinick Sandolph - left program - 3-star
Jerry Brazil - left program - 4-star
Rashard Robinson - left program - 4-star
SPECIALISTS
Reid Ferguson - starter - 2-star
Jamie Keehn - starter - no rating
LSU signed 45 players in 2012-2013 who would be in their third or fourth year in the program. How much talent did those signees have? Of the 45 players, almost half (21) were three stars or less. So, that's not a great accumulation of talent.
There were only two five-star players signed in those two classes -- Tre'Davious White, a 3-year starter at CB, and Frank Herron, a back-up defensive tackle.
There are 15 players who could have been on the 2015 roster from these two classes who are no longer at LSU. The starters or potential starters in this group are LB Kwon Alexander (NFL), CB Rashard Robinson (academics), DE Danielle Hunter (NFL), DE Maquedius Bain (off-the-field issues) and fullback Melvin Jones (academics).
Here is a breakdown by position of signees from the 2012 and 2013 classes -- people who should form the core of your team.
WR
Travin Dural - starter - 4-star
John Diarse - rotation player - 4-star
Kevin Spears - doesn't play - 4-star
Avery Johnson - left program - 3-star
TE
Dillon Gordon - starter (injured) - 3-star
DeSean Smith - rotation player - 4-star
OL
Vadal Alexander - starter - 4-star
Jerald Hawkins - starter - 3-star
Ethan Pocic - starter - 4-star
KJ Malone - backup - 3-star
Josh Boutte - doesn't play - 4-star
Andy Dodd - doesn't play - 4-star
Derek Edinburgh - left program - 4-star
QB
Anthony Jennings - backup - 4-star
Hayden Rettig - left program - 4-star
Jeremy Liggins - never enrolled - 3-star
TB
None signed
FB
Melvin Jones - left program - 3-star (moved from LB)
Ronnie Feist - doesn't play - 3-star (moved from LB)
DL
Christian LaCouture - starter - 3-star
Lewis Neal - starter - 3-star
Tashawn Bower - rotation player - 4-star
Greg Gilmore - rotation player - 4-star
Frank Herron - rotation player - 5-star
MJ Patterson - doesn't play - 3-star
Danielle Hunter - left for NFL - 4-star
Maquedius Bain - left program - 3-star
LB
Kendell Beckwith - starter - 4-star
Deion Jones - starter - 3-star
Lamar Louis - starter - 4-star
Duke Riley - backup - 3-star
Kwon Alexander - left for NFL - 4-star
Trey Granier - left program - 3-star
Lorenzo Phillips - left program - 4-star
DB
Jalen Mills - starter - 3-star
Dwayne Thomas - starter - 4-star
Tre'Davious White - starter - 5-star
Corey Thompson - backup - 3-star
Ricky Jefferson - backup - 4-star
Kavahra Holmes - left program - 3-star (moved from WR)
Derrick Raymond - left program - 3-star
Jerqwinick Sandolph - left program - 3-star
Jerry Brazil - left program - 4-star
Rashard Robinson - left program - 4-star
SPECIALISTS
Reid Ferguson - starter - 2-star
Jamie Keehn - starter - no rating
