- Maason Smith has not yet signed with LSU, though the school appears to be top of his list
- Recruiters are relying on relationships built prior to COVID-19
- Schools with key players returning may have the advantage this season
In a recent episode of The JBoy Show, a top source for sports news from Auburn and the Southeastern Conference (“SEC”), host Jake Crain, known as JBoy, discussed recruiting at Louisiana State University (“LSU”) and throughout the rest of the SEC with recruiting insider Jimmy D. Smith. Click here for the full interview.
Head of Tigerdetails.com and founder of the Louisiana Bootleggers (a platform for student-athletes), Smith is a three-time Mullet Toss Champion. And for listeners who are curious about what a mullet toss is, it consists of individuals throwing a mullet (the fish) from a 10-foot circle in Florida across the state line into Alabama. JBoy enjoys highlighting fun facts about his guests on the show and was more then eager to share this bit of trivia.
Smith and JBoy kicked off the episode by discussing LSU recruiting; the team currently has 16 total commitments and is ranked no. nine in the team recruiting rankings. Maason Smith is expected to sign with LSU, but he is still looking at his options. LSU has had the edge with Maason for some time now because he lives in Louisiana, but a number of schools are still in the mix for his final decision.
When it comes to recruiting, COVID has had a significant impact, a topic that JBoy has discussed frequently with his recent guests. A number of schools haven’t had the typical opportunities to reach out to potential recruits and, subsequently, are focusing more on the athletes in their own backyards and who they likely already have existing relationships with.
The two noted that the pandemic is definitely throwing a wrench in the recruiting methods of most schools. Schools that previously came to Louisiana and challenged LSU for local players are often unable to compete in recruiting. When visits open back up, things will likely start changing for the players and the recruiters.
As far as on-the-field play, it’s a Florida-Georgia dogfight in the East, but the question on the table is how the West is lining up. The two noted that spring football could potentially alter a few things because new quarterbacks haven’t had the typical time to develop and prepare for the fall season. That means schools where key players are returning may have an advantage. Smith noted that LSU and Alabama are his picks for the top two spots in the West.
When JBoy asked Smith what his thoughts were on LSU finishing in the rivals team rankings, he noted that he thinks LSU finishes with the top-five class. That ranking is based on “guys like Maason Smith lining up and Bryan Thomas, a top-100 recruit, in their backyard at wide receiver, and Tristan Lee — five stars or four stars — depending on where you look lining up on offensive tackle. It’s going to be hard for LSU not to make the top five.”
JBoy and Smith wrapped up the show by talking basketball and potential recruits for LSU, Alabama, and Auburn.
This discussion between Jake Crain and Jimmy D. Smith can be found, along with all the JBoy Show podcast episodes, on Anchor, iTunes/Apple, Spotify, Google, Breaker, Overcast, PocketCasts, RadioPublic or YouTube.
Hosted by Jake Crain, the JBoy Show burst on the podcast scene in April 2020, delivering an in-depth look at Southeastern Conference (“SEC”) sports with an emphasis on the SEC West. With topics ranging from recruiting and real-life athlete experiences to a multi-episode series honoring legendary Auburn football Coach Pat Dye, the JBoy Show has already been ranked as one of the top-10 sports news shows on Apple Podcasts.
For more information about the JBoy Show, please visit www.TheJBoyShow.com.
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