BATON ROUGE, La. -- We’re a week away from the start of preseason practice for the
LSU Tigers.
Since several open spots on the depth chart make this arguably the
most important freshman class in Les Miles’ decade as the Tigers’ coach,
we thought it might be a good time to offer a refresher on Miles’
thoughts about each signee once they officially became Tigers on
national signing day.
Keep in mind that this is before two junior college prospects --
offensive lineman Jevonte Domond and tight end Colin Jeter -- joined the
class as summer additions, so they are not included in this rundown.
Here’s what Miles had to say on what the newcomers might bring to LSU's roster:
[+] Enlarge
Miller Safrit/ESPNLeonard Fournette, the top prospect in the 2014 class, should get his fair share of carries as a freshman.
Leonard Fournette
No. 1 overall prospect on ESPN 300/No. 1 RB
Miles said: Not surprisingly, the nation’s top
overall prospect was a hot topic on signing day. Discussing him publicly
for the first time, Miles said, “The inhibitor for a running back,
generally speaking, is if he’s got great speed, he’s not very big. And
if he’s very, very big, he doesn’t have great speed. And so basically
you take a big back and you trim him up and you get him faster and you
take the small back and you build him up and hope that you don’t get him
slower. But for Leonard Fournette, it’s size and speed and ball skills
and great vision. He’s a guy that will step in and play.”
Malachi Dupre
No. 17 on ESPN 300/No. 1 WR
Miles said: One of three No. 1 players at a
position to sign with the Tigers, wide receiver Dupre “can jump out of
this gym,” Miles said. “He’s a guy that not only has size and height and
ball skills and speed, but he has explosiveness that’s just different.
Those quarterbacks that could miss him would have to throw it low, not
high.”
Jamal Adams
No. 18 on ESPN 300/No. 2 S
Miles said: Clearly excited about the Texan’s potential, Miles brought up former first-round NFL draft pick
Eric Reid
as a comparison to Adams. “A multi-dimensional athlete. Played offense,
defense, special teams return man,” he said. “Very tough, physical
player. Ran track. Just reminds you of Eric Reid, maybe a little bit
better ball skills, maybe a little bit more explosive.”
Trey Quinn
No. 29 on ESPN 300/No. 3 WR
Miles said: One of the most statistically prolific
high school receivers in history, Quinn is a “tremendously capable
athlete, a guy that can make plays after he catches the ball,” Miles
said. “His run after catch will be significant.”
Clifton Garrett
No. 31 on ESPN 300/No. 2 ILB
Miles said: The No. 1 player in Illinois, the
middle linebacker is “big, physical, fast -- forced fumbles, sacks,
going to give us a tremendous presence inside,” Miles said.
Brandon Harris
No. 37 on ESPN 300/No. 2 dual-threat QB
Miles said: The coach said early enrollee Harris
“may well be as natural a passer as we’ve been around” and added that he
has “got great arm velocity, great speed. Will really challenge
defenses vertically down the field and have the ability to move his feet
to extend plays.”
Ed Paris
No. 50 on ESPN 300/No. 4 S
Miles said: The early enrollee, who played
cornerback during the spring, has great coverage skills, Miles said.
“Again, I say that he is already on campus and has an opportunity to
compete this spring for playing time.”
| Pos Rk |
Stars |
Grade |
Hometown |
| 4 |
|
83 |
Baton Rouge, LA |
Garrett Brumfield
No. 54 on ESPN 300/No. 1 OG
Miles said: The third No. 1 player at his
position, Baton Rouge native Brumfield is an “extremely athletic
offensive lineman,” Miles said. “Great versatility will give him a
chance to play multiple positions.”
Devin Voorhies
No. 134 on ESPN 300/No. 16 ATH
Miles said: Miles said Mississippi’s Gatorade
Player of the Year, who is slated to play safety. is “just a very
versatile athlete with good size. We’ll enjoy him in our secondary, as
well.”
Travonte Valentine
No. 164 on ESPN 300/No. 11 DT
Miles said: The massive four-star prospect “is one
of the premier tackles out of Florida. … Big body, really will clog up
the middle and push the pocket.”
Jacory Washington
No. 169 on ESPN 300/No. 5 TE (H)
Miles said: The four-star tight end is “a guy that
really is a receiving tight end, can really stretch the field
vertically. Again very talented,” Miles said. “He went to the Under
Armour All-America Game in Orlando and he won the skills competition.”
Davon Godchaux
No. 213 on ESPN 300/No. 22 DE
Miles said: The four-star prospect, who will start
out at defensive tackle at LSU, “had a major knee injury that he
recovered from in his senior year,” Miles said. “But he has a very high
motor, very athletic and we look forward to him playing with us in the
middle.”
Donnie Alexander
No. 261 on ESPN 300/No. 19 OLB
Miles said: Miles called the New Orleans native
“one of the top linebackers in the state. … He will fit into our package
very comfortably. He’ll be great in space and he is a very vicious
tackler.”
D.J. Chark
No. 271 on ESPN 300/No. 38 WR
Miles said: Miles has frequently mentioned the
speedy Chark as a future contender for a kick returner job. On signing
day, he said Chark is “really a tremendous prospect at the wide receiver
spot.”
Deondre Clark
No. 273 on ESPN 300/No. 24 DE
Miles said: With severe winter weather in his
native Oklahoma delaying the process, Clark didn’t officially sign with
LSU until several days after national signing day. But in a release
announcing his signing, Miles said Clark “is a very athletic and
versatile player who was a standout on both sides of the ball in high
school. … He fills a need for us at defensive end. He’ll be able to come
in and compete for playing time right away.”
Tony Upchurch
No. 283 on ESPN 300/No. 42 WR
Miles said: He contributed at multiple positions
in high school, but the big-bodied Upchurch will play receiver at LSU,
leading Miles to say he’s “a very strong, physical [player] that can
catch the ball and will give us a great opportunity to use his size and
skill set.”
Trey Lealaimatafao
No. 27 DT
Miles said: Although he recently suffered a
serious arm injury and jeopardized his 2014 season when he punched
through a window, the four-star defensive lineman reminds Miles of a
previous LSU standout. “What he would remind you of is
Drake Nevis,”
Miles said. “He is a little taller, maybe a little wider, maybe a
little faster, but he has a very high motor and a real acceleration on
the field.”
William Clapp
No. 22 OG
Miles said: LSU likes versatility in its offensive
linemen and Miles said LSU gets that with Clapp, noting also that he
“comes with an LSU background. His father played defensive line at LSU. …
Again, very athletic, has good size and mobility that will allow him to
play a number of spots.”
John Battle
No. 26 S
Miles said: Although he’s listed at cornerback on
LSU’s preseason depth chart, Miles said at the time that Battle is “one
of the rising safety prospects in this class, a four-star recruit. A
very bright guy … a very high-character man, a track athlete and a
four-point student. Very hard-hitting safety, a very talented guy that
we look forward to him lining up in our secondary.”
Sione Teuhema
No. 41 DE
Miles said: A tweener who could contribute as a
defensive end or outside linebacker, Teuhema “has an unbelievably high
motor and will play with his hands on the ground or play standing up and
just to me is a tremendous prospect,” Miles said.
Russell Gage
No. 57 ATH
Miles said: A late addition to LSU’s class, Gage
was “a multi-sport athlete, displayed toughness and physicality and
speed, was very competitive in our camp and we knew of him best and
he’ll be with us as a corner,” Miles said.
Cameron Gamble
No. 6 KTS
Miles said: Although LSU seems set at placekicker
with Colby Delahoussaye, Miles has mentioned Gamble several times as a
candidate for the kickoff job in 2014, including on signing day. “Big
leg. Nineteen kickoffs went into the end zone as a senior.”
Darrel Williams
No. 77 RB
Miles said: Fournette gets most of the attention,
but Miles said of 2,200-yard rusher Williams that “he’s a tough,
physical running back, runs behind his pads, punishes defenders,
displays great balance and vision.”
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/lsu/post/_/id/14522/revisiting-miles-thoughts-on-2014-class
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