LSU landed the biggest fish in the pond of Louisiana by getting the commitment of five-star defensive tackle Maason Smith from Terrebonne High School on Wednesday afternoon.

Smith is the highest rated player in the state and second rated defensive tackle in the country and his commitment is huge for a Tiger program looking to keep its football among the premiere college programs in the nation. 

National Signing Day has proven to be just like the rest of 2020, unpredictable.

But the LSU Tigers are using that fluidity with the early signing period to stack up recruits for the coming years and currently has the third ranked class in the country from 247.sports.com and the fourth ranked class according to ESPN with 18 signees through the early evening.

Coach Ed Orgeron said that LSU would keep their options open when it came to Wednesday’s early signing period.

“It's very fluid right now, and I can say minimum 15 to 16, maximum 20. I think in between those numbers would be a good range,” Orgeron told reporters on Monday.

The news hasn’t all been great for the Tigers though, as they started the day with a tough flip as Alabama flipped ESPN 300 OLB Keanu Koht to the Tide from LSU.

LSU countered with a  flip of their own, even if it’s not at a high position of need like lineman, the Tigers were able to move in-state wide receiver Malik Nabers from Mississippi State and then added another receiver in ESPN 300 ATH/CB Damarius McGhee.

Unfortunately for the Tigers the flipping didn't end in the morning as four-star wide receiver JoJo Earle flipped his verbal commitment to a hard sign for Alabama. Earle was expected make his decision known in early 2021, but popped for the Tide as the nation's fifth rated wide receiver and #48 recruit overall.

Coach Orgeron has said he’s also looking at the junior colleges (JUCO) and transfer portal for players, and this morning the Tigers were able to secure ESPN JC50 LB Navonteque Strong in a position of need.

Signed Letters of Intent for LSU:

• • QB Garrett Nussmeier
  • OL Garrett Dellinger
  • P Peyton Todd
  • LB Greg Penn III
  • WR/TE Jack Bech
  • LB Navonteque Strong
  • ATH Malik Nabers
  • DL Landon Jackson
  • DB Derrick Davis Jr.
  • DB Matthew Langlois
  • WR Deion Smith
  • DB Damarius McGhee
  • RB Corey Kiner
  • TE Jalen Shead
  • DT Maason Smith
  • WR Chris Hilton
  • DE Zavier Carter
  • DB Sage Ryan

From ESPN:

The Oklahoma Sooners continue to march toward a fifth straight top-10 class with the huge signing day win out of the state of Texas, beating LSU, SMU and Texas for ESPN 300 OT Savion Byrd.

One of the big risers Wednesday was in the state of Texas, and it wasn't Texas A&M or Texas. TCU began the day outside the top 65 in the class ranks, but has ascended with letters of intent from ESPN 300 WR Sam Jackson over several Big Ten programs, quick ESPN 300 ATH Ahmonte Watkins, former four-star WR Quincy Brown and Pelican State three-star safety Da'Veawn Armstead.