Recruiting Louisiana

[Hawghiggs]

 Why do have a single commit from Louisiana? and why do we always seem to have a hard time recruiting that state?

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Why do have a single commit from Louisiana? and why do we always seem to have a hard time recruiting that state?

We have a hard time in Weezyana?

First I've heard of it

[hvsupastar]

I think we normally do OK there. I would like to get a little deeper though, per capita they have the most talent of any state.

[IBleedRazorbackRed]

We got 4 guys from there last year...

[redeye]

I actually think we're doing better in Louisiana nowadays, despite the lack of commitments this year.  I can think of 2-3 LA players we have a good shot at next year.

If you wanna pick a state we struggle to recruit, I'd go with Mississippi.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Why do have a single commit from Louisiana? and why do we always seem to have a hard time recruiting that state?

The competition is pretty stiff. I know everyone thinks Les Miles is a doofus, but Les can tell a kid something that no one else in any of the P 5 conferences can say, "over the past 8 years we have put more players in the NFL than anyone else". And it's true.

Since the 2007 NFL Draft they have had 53 players drafted (Alabama #2 in the SEC with 44) at an average rate of 6.6 per year.

They are tied for the lead in drafted QB's with A&M and S. California with 3 each. Odd that we often associate QB problems with LSU.

They can be called "RB University" having placed 8, same with WR's having placed 9.

LSU is tied with Georgia and Clemson for having produced the most NFL DE's at 6 each and LSU has the lone lead in DT's at 7 and they have also produced the most DB's with 12.

For those same positions here are Arkansas' numbers in comparison.

QB-2
RB-5 (3 of those in one draft year)
WR-5
DE-3
DT-2
DB-1

I'd say that might have something to do with the lack of success that we have had in Lousiana in the past. But I think we are making progress in recruiting that state and will do better in the future.

[razorbackfanatic]

But that should also be used against Miles. It's pretty obvious he does Les with more!

[Hoggish1]

The competition is pretty stiff. I know everyone thinks Les Miles is a doofus, but Les can tell a kid something that no one else in any of the P 5 conferences can say, "over the past 8 years we have put more players in the NFL than anyone else". And it's true.

The Tiger faithful don't see this as a positive anymore.  I hope they keep Less and his mantra about the NFL for a long time.  But I fear Less' time is coming to an end at LSWho and I'm not comfortable with it...

[Nola]

3 kids this year that I've seen play in person & I think will surprise a lot of people on the camp circuit this year. They like Arkansas a lot considering the fact that two former teammates play & have seen time as true freshman. They attend Archbishop Rummel High in Metairie, Louisiana.

Jakobi Jones DB 5'10" 175: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3921859/highlights/214779379/v2
Andre' Danove CB 5'8" 165: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4755191/highlights/187500388/v2
Shahid Reese: LB 6'0" 200: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4409838/highlights/193805376/v2

[Styflin]

I actually think we're doing better in Louisiana nowadays, despite the lack of commitments this year.  I can think of 2-3 LA players we have a good shot at next year.

If you wanna pick a state we struggle to recruit, I'd go with Mississippi.

Yes Mississippi has been a struggle for years. LA, TX, and FL are higher on the priority list.

[DeltaBoy]

We got to hit all our border states hard.

[redeye]

Yes Mississippi has been a struggle for years. LA, TX, and FL are higher on the priority list.

Yea, with the grade problems Mississippi players usually have, I'm not sure it's worth spending much time there.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Yes Mississippi has been a struggle for years. LA, TX, and FL are higher on the priority list.

We should clean up in Mississippi as we have a history of helping more players get drafted (on average) over the last 7 years than Ole Miss or Miss State, almost twice as many on average as the two combined.

The funny thing is that Ole Miss, over a period of 9 years from 2005-2013, averaged a Rivals recruiting class rank of #22.6, yet they only averaged having 1.6 players drafted per year since 2007.

Miss State averaged a class rank over that time of #36.1 and averaged getting 1.8 players drafted per year.

Over the same comparative periods of time, Arkansas averaged a #29.8 recruiting class but averaged having 3.3 players drafted per year.

Apparently there wasn't a whole lot of player development going on at either of the Mississippi schools during that time. Now I understand that 3.3 per year isn't setting the world on fire compared to LSU or Alabama's averages, but Arkansas has more to sell than either of the Mississippi schools. Theoretically, we shouldnt have trouble raiding that state for talent as the competition shouldn't be coming from any of the state schools.

[ChicoHog]

good post Muskogee but I think the Miss and MSU numbers of drafted players is going to rise significantly in the next couple of years.  Both of those teams have many talented players.  Hope they go back to the way they used to be. 

[Oklahawg]

A topic I'd like to see kicked around somewhere: the number of recruits who do not qualify, as well as the number of recruits who get offered but never sign a LOI due to academics.

MS has the worse K12 academics in the country. Doesn't that logically mean they have more non-qualifiers, per capita? If so, that is one really good reason to not recruit MS as hard.

[redeye]

A topic I'd like to see kicked around somewhere: the number of recruits who do not qualify, as well as the number of recruits who get offered but never sign a LOI due to academics.

MS has the worse K12 academics in the country. Doesn't that logically mean they have more non-qualifiers, per capita? If so, that is one really good reason to not recruit MS as hard.

Exactly.  The Mississippi schools sign and place a lot of players in Mississippi JUCOs for this reason.

Players who qualify and choose to go out of state always pick other SEC schools, probably because they're closer to home then Fayetteville.  For whatever reason, we never seem to have much success recruiting elite Mississippi players.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

A topic I'd like to see kicked around somewhere: the number of recruits who do not qualify, as well as the number of recruits who get offered but never sign a LOI due to academics.

MS has the worse K12 academics in the country. Doesn't that logically mean they have more non-qualifiers, per capita? If so, that is one really good reason to not recruit MS as hard.

That would be a reasonable assumption. But there have to be athletes that are qualifiers and it is these that we can cherry pick. On the other hand, this staff knows what they are doing so if they want to hit Mississippi hard on recruiting, I'm sure they will. Seems like their focus is elsewhere though.

[LAHog124]

I think we have a good shot in 2016 to pick up Devin White RB/LB out of Springhill, LA. The kid is an absolute monster. He has offers from Bama and LSU but his 1st cousin Jared Cornelius plays with the hogs, I think that helps our chances tremendously.

[mhuff]

I actually think we're doing better in Louisiana nowadays, despite the lack of commitments this year.  I can think of 2-3 LA players we have a good shot at next year.

If you wanna pick a state we struggle to recruit, I'd go with Mississippi.

I agree with MS. I thought they had the most D-1 FB recruits per capita than anyone.?

[songofthesword]

this year it's becuse we have so many in state commitments.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

I think we have a good shot in 2016 to pick up Devin White RB/LB out of Springhill, LA. The kid is an absolute monster. He has offers from Bama and LSU but his 1st cousin Jared Cornelius plays with the hogs, I think that helps our chances tremendously.

I believe he is also interest in early PT. And LSU's stable of RBs may help as well

[Bubba's Bruisers]

So what chances do we have with Jacobs and Scott from LA?  I believe Scott is visiting late this month.

[WooPig90]

GAME CHANGER ‏@Devin_Mr24  1h1 hour ago
#WPS 🏈😎

Devin White RB out of LA. Would be HUGE!

[jackflash]

For this year I think if we could get the LB Jackson to change his commit from Arizona to Arkansas would be big

[redeye]

I agree with MS. I thought they had the most D-1 FB recruits per capita than anyone.?

They may have the most per capita, but the problem is that most Mississippi players stay home and those that leave usually end up at schools that are closer.  Here's a look at Mississippi players that have left the state since 2011 (5 years) and were ranked among the top-10 players in the state by 247.

2015 (ongoing, but only one player currently uncommitted.)
#10 Gabriel Campbell (Oklahoma) - 3-star DE

2014
#5 Devin Voorhies (LSU) - 4-star S

2013
#7 Deon Mix (Auburn) - 3-star OG
#10 Scott Austin (Louisiana-Lafayette) - 3-star WR

2012
#5 Jeremy Liggins (LSU) - 4-star Athlete
#9 D'Arthur Cowan (Arkansas) - 3-star WR

2011
#5 Malcolm Faciane (Alabama) - 4-star TE
#8 Jermaine Whitehead (Auburn) - 4-star CB

As you can see, no more then 2 of Mississippi's top-10 players ever left the state in any year and I think you'll find that most went to schools much closer then Arkansas.  I don't think this list includes their JUCO players, but most of them were placed there by Mississippi schools.  In their current classes, Ole Miss has 4 players from Mississippi JUCO's (two 4-stars and two 3-stars) and MSU has 3 (two 4-stars and one 3-star).

Take into consideration that the State of Arkansas was supposed to surpass the State of Mississippi in population in 2014 and we're not talking about many eligible players.  My guess is that Bielema has no plans to recruit Mississippi hard and I don't blame him, because we've never had much luck there.

Update: The Mississippi JUCO's actually seem more friendly to out-of-state schools.  They have eight 4-star players among the top-10 this year and only 4 of the top-10 are currently committed to a Mississippi school (one uncommitted player).

#4 Jason Smith (Auburn) - 4-star Athlete
#6 Dante Sawyer (South Carolina - 4-star DE
#8 Jeryl Brazil (Louisiana-Lafayette) - 4-star CB
#9 Jeremy Cutrer (LSU) - 3-star S
#10 Jonathan Taylor (Alabama) - 3-star DT

Out-of-state teams had similar success in other recent years, so maybe the Mississippi JUCO's should be the emphasis with recruiting the State of Mississippi?  Seems like they typically produce 6-8 players ranked 4-star or higher and I suspect some of those 3-star players are underrated.

[Flexbone]

There's several kids in the Shreveport area I wish were in on. A lineman from Evangel Christian that's going to Notre Dame, & a rb and WR from Calvary that's going to Arizona. Calvary has a QB that's a junior and some DB's that I hope we can sway.