RECRUITING NEWS: Tigers add three

| | | |

Trio of La. defenders commit to LSU over Memorial Day weekend

By BEN LOVE
Tiger Rag Editor

What once was nine now is 12 as Les Miles, Frank Wilson and the LSU staff added three verbal commitments – CB Derrick Raymond, DE Jerald Hawkins and CB/S Jerqwinick Sandolph –  to the Tigers’ Class of 2012 over the Memorial Day weekend.

More specifically, word of the newest three commits came down on Saturday, both during and in the aftermath of the staff’s Bayou Picnic, a get-together in which a number of ‘12 prospects were on campus.

Raymond, Hawkins and Sandolph were all in-attendance, and each of the three was individually recruited prior by running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Frank Wilson.

Raymond, listed by Scout.com as 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, has actually sat out the past two seasons due to a series of transfers. Originally at Lee High School in Baton Rouge, Raymond transferred to Port Allen High School before again flipping schools to East Jefferson, where he is currently and will suit up this fall. The cornerback was also being courted by Nebraska, Pittsburgh and SMU, per TigerSportsDigest.com.

Hawkins, at 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds, is a two-way lineman at West Saint Mary (in Baldwin, La.) who is widely considered to be a defensive end prospect at the collegiate level. Going into to the Bayou Picnic Saturday, he was committed to Texas A&M, but Hawkins reversed course and pledged to LSU following his visit to Baton Rouge.

Sandolph, a Hahnville rising senior listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, is a versatile defensive back who TSD.com says will start off at safety once he arrives on campus, but could easily make the switch to corner. A former teammate of current Tiger running back Alfred Blue, Sandolph had garnered offers from Memphis, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Western Kentucky.

The additions of Raymond and Sandolph give the Tigers three defensive backs on the hook for the ‘12 class, with O. Perry Walker cornerback Dwayne Thomas (6-1, 175) being the other.

Hawkins makes it two on the defensive line for LSU in ‘12 as Woodlawn (Shreveport) end Torshiro Davis (6-3, 210) has already committed. It should be noted, however, that Davis could also end up as an outside linebacker in Tiger Town.

Here is the full list of all 12 current LSU commitments (measurements from TSD.com):

WR Avery Johnson (6-2, 185) Blanche Ely HS in Pompano Beach, Fla.
MLB Trey Granier (6-1, 225) Thibodaux HS in Thibodaux, La.
DE/OLB Torshiro Davis (6-3, 210) Woodlawn HS in Shreveport, La.
TE Dillon Gordon (6-5, 250) John Curtis HS in River Ridge, La.
OLB Ronnie Feist (6-1, 210) West Saint John HS in Edgard, La.
TE John Thomas (6-5, 235) Airline HS in Bossier City, La.
OLB Lamar Louis (6-0, 220) Breaux Bridge HS in Breaux Bridge, La.
WR Travin Dural (6-2, 180) Breaux Bridge HS in Breaux Bridge, La.
CB Dwayne Thomas (6-1, 175) O. Perry Walker HS in New Orleans, La.
CB Derrick Raymond (6-1, 170) East Jefferson HS in Metairie, La.
DE Jerald Hawkins (6-5, 275) West Saint Mary HS in Baldwin, La.
CB/S Jerqwinick Sandolph (6-1, 190) Hahnville HS in Boutte, La.

–

Editor Ben Love covers LSU football and men’s basketball for Tiger Rag. Reach him at ben@tigerrag.com.