Breaking down LSU signees in final On300 rankings

The final On300 rankings are out and plenty of LSU signees made moves up in the rankings as well as a notable shift down. Here are some thoughts on the final rankings before National Signing Day.

OT Zalance Heard (No. 11): Heard is an elite offensive tackle and dominated at the Under Armour All-American Game to confirm what we already knew, the Neville product is one of the nation’s best. On3 slid him up after his feather in the cap week in Orlando. He’s now the No. 2 offensive tackle in the entire country.

EDGE Dashawn Womack (No. 12): Womack moved up as well despite being out for the UA game, showing how much we respect his senior tape that he put together. An early enrollee, Womack was dominant as a senior and finishes even higher in the On300 rankings. He’s expected to play a big role right away for LSU. He’s the No. 3 edge rusher in the nation.

WR Shelton Sampson Jr. (No. 84): After getting a chance to see Sampson work out for two days alongside the best wideouts in the country at the UA game, On3 trimmed Sampson back from his longtime 5-star rating. On3 saw Sampson multiple times in-person this fall as well as at UA and deemed a trim back was necessary. As an aside, I don’t necessarily agree with him landing at No. 84, but I don’t see him as a 5-star after reviewing everything over the last year or so that we know. He finishes as a solid Top 100 prospect.

TE Ka’Morreun Pimpton (No. 88): Speaking of Top 100, Pimpton showed he deserved a move up of almost 50 spots. He was unguardable as a senior with the mismatch he created on a weekly basis. He backed that up with a solid week at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, which included a touchdown grab in the game. He’s the No. 4 tight end in the country, which is exactly where I’d have him positionally.

LB Whit Weeks (No. 110): Very few players helped their stock as much as Weeks did in San Antonio. He flashed impressive speed, was a leading tackler in the game and overall, showed why he will contribute early at LSU. We rewarded him on his impressive senior tape and huge showing at All-American Bowl, moving up 123 overall spots. Weeks is the No. 8 linebacker in the country.

WR Jalen Brown (No. 126): After a senior year that saw his production drop with poor quarterback play, Brown moved back up 26 spots after his All-American Bowl showing. One of the fastest players in the game, Brown caught a touchdown and flashed on a kick return in the game. Brown might be one of the most ready to play prospects in the class.

OL DJ Chester (No. 132): Chester also trimmed up slightly after a nice week at center in the All-American Bowl. He’s physically ready to play and will bring versatility to LSU’s offensive line.

DB Javien Toviano (No. 141): Toviano finishes as a clear Top 150 prospect, not moving much in the final rankings. He’s still ranked as a safety and after LSU’s transfer haul, he could get some looks there to get on the field early.

OT Tyree Adams (No. 166): A high upside player, Adams finishes inside the Top 200. His senior tape left a little to be desired from a physicality perspective, but if he puts it all together, he’ll be a sure-fire draft pick. Has the tools to be a key starter down the line.

RB Kaleb Jackson (No. 223): Jackson lost much of his senior season to injury, but we still love his explosiveness that he brings when healthy. If he’s healthy, he could very well end up contributing early, despite the deep backfield in Baton Rouge. His ranking stays put in the final update.

DB Kylin Jackson (No. 245): Jackson is a physical in-the-box safety who needs to improve in coverage. He’ll bring a physical edge to the secondary and with the safety position, will have every opportunity to break into the rotation. He’s a versatile piece that we like, slotting him inside the Top 250 overall prospects.

EDGE Jaxon Howard (No. 249): Howard brings versatility to LSU, where he could bulk up and slide inside, play tight end, etc. He’s played all over as a high school prospect and has great genetics. It’ll be interesting to see how his athleticism translates once he slots in at a position.

DE Dylan Carpenter (No. 288): We moved Carpenter into the On300 after taking a look at his senior tape and he stays right where we had him. LSU will get him on campus and be able to mold him into another versatile piece for the defensive line.

QB Rickie Collins (new 4-star): After taking a look at senior seasons, very few did more with less than Collins. Factor in his mobility and LSU has a high upside quarterback, who added his 4th star from On3 after diving into his senior season. He’ll need to continue to develop his accuracy, but his arm talent and athleticism are certainly there.