LSU's 10 Highest-Rated Signees in the past 20 years

The LSU football staff landed a massive commitment over the weekend when 5-star+ quarterback Bryce Underwood revealed his pledge to the Tigers.

LSU has a trio of 5-stars committed for the 2025 recruiting cycle, and the Tigers now have the No. 1 recruiting class in college football.

With a commitment in from Underwood, LSU has a commitment from the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle. Even more impressive, the staff also has a commitment from the No. 4 overall prospect in the cycle with the addition of five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore.

How would Underwood and Moore fit into the list of highest-rated signees for LSU over the past 20 years?

Both would make the Top 10 of the list, which speaks to the talent the Tigers have on board for the 2025 cycle.

Here’s a look at where both Underwood and Moore would slot into the Top 10 LSU signees over the past two decades (2006-2025 classes). Note, the ratings used are from the On3 Industry Recruiting Rankings.

10… Harold Perkins – LB (98.41 rating): Perkins was a Freshman All-American in 2022 for the Tigers, finishing the year with 72 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and an interception. While his impact might not have been felt in the same way this season, Perkins’ stats in Year 2 were similar with 75 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and an interception. With LSU hiring a new defensive coordinator in Blake Baker, the hope is Perkins turns in his biggest season to date in 2024 and sets himself up as a high first-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 9 overall, No. 1 LB, No. 2 in Texas

9… Craig Loston – S (98.59 rating): Loston started 24 times and appeared in 45 games during his time in Baton Rouge, becoming a two-year starter in the secondary and finishing his playing career with 148 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 7 interceptions and a sack. Loston’s time at safety came when both Eric Reid and Brandon Taylor were on roster, as well as Tyrann Mathieu. When the trio moved on, Loston took over as the team’s top safety ahead of Ronald Martin and Corey Thompson in 2013.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 7 overall, No. 1 S, No. 2 in Texas

8… Kevin Toliver II – CB (98.60 rating): Toliver three seasons in Baton Rouge (2015-17), logging 18 starts and appearing in 31 games for the Tigers. He finished his career with 112 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions and 2 sacks. Toliver made eight starts during his freshman season as he worked opposite a future first-round pick in Tre’Davious White, then started five games alongside White the following year before suffering a shoulder injury – which moved Donte Jackson into a starting cornerback role. Toliver returned for a final year in 2017, but started five times in 12 games as Jackson was joined by true freshman Greedy Williams as the team’s top cornerbacks.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 7 overall, No. 2 CB, No. 4 in Florida

7… Derek Stingley – CB (98.63 rating): Stingley was one of the best cornerbacks to suit up for the Tigers, starting in all 25 games he appeared in during his LSU career. That included a 15-0 finish to his freshman season as a starter for the 2019 National Champions. During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Stingley missed the opener before being sidelined for the final two games with an injury. Still, Stingley earned First-Team All-SEC honors. During his final year in 2021, Stingley started the first three games of the season before a foot injury led to season-ending surgery. While Stingley brought immediate production as a freshman in 2019, injuries and a pandemic-shortened season cut short his other two years in purple-and-gold. No matter, he was twice named an All-American and went on to become the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 5 overall, No. 1 CB, No. 1 in Louisiana

6… Dakorien Moore – WR (98.72 rating): Moore is currently a high school junior, so he’s yet to sign with the Tigers. If the five-star wide receiver inks with LSU in December, he would land inside the Top 10 (and currently at No. 6, though rating changes over the next year could shuffle him up or down the list). Moore was impressive as a sophomore en route to Duncanville’s state title, and he took over as a junior with 1,243 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns against some of the best competition in the country. Moore is committed to LSU as the top prospect in Texas and the highest-ranked receiver in the 2025 cycle.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 4 overall, No. 1 WR, No. 1 in Texas

5… Arik Gilbert – TE (99.05 rating): Gilbert left high school as Gatorade’s National Player of the Year and a top five overall prospect as the nation’s best tight end. His debut season at LSU came during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when he hauled in 35 catches for 368 yards and two touchdowns in eight games played. Unfortunately, things went sideways from there. Gilbert sat out the final two games and entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, choosing to return home to Georgia. He didn’t appear in a game in 2021, then logged just two catches for 16 yards and a touchdown in 2022. Once more, Gilbert left campus, this time choosing to transfer to Nebraska. While awaiting a ruling on his eligibility this fall, Gilbert was arrested on burglary charges twice in three weeks. As of January 2024, it remains unclear what Gilbert’s future holds in football.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 5 overall, No. 1 TE, No. 1 in Georgia

4… Patrick Peterson – CB (99.06 rating): Peterson is one of the best to ever wear the purple-and-gold, winning both the Jim Thorpe Award and Bednarik Award in 2010 as the nation’s top defensive back and top defensive player, respectively. After leaving high school as the No. 1 cornerback in America, Peterson was a three-year starter at LSU, making 30 starts in 39 games played. He finished his career with 135 tackles, 22 pass breakups and 7 interceptions, and Peterson scored touchdowns twice on punt returns, once on an interception and once on a blocked field goal. After leaving high school as the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2008 class, Peterson was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He’s gone on to become a First-Team All Pro-Selection three times while being selected to eight Pro Bowls.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 5 overall, No. 1 CB, No. 1 in Florida

3… Bryce Underwood – QB (99.08 rating): Make that two current LSU commitments who crack the list of Top 10 highest-rated LSU signees. No, Underwood hasn’t signed with the Tigers yet. That comes in December. If he does, Underwood would check into the top three on LSU’s list of highest-rated signees over the past 20 years. And with plenty of rankings updates still to come, Underwood has a realistic shot to move all the way up to No. 1 on the list. The five-star is a program-changing type of addition for the Tigers at quarterback, a program that has seen two transfers quarterbacks win the Heisman Trophy in a five-season span. Now, Underwood could give LSU the program’s highest-ranked high school quarterback signee during the modern recruiting era.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 1 overall, No. 1 QB, No. 1 in Michigan

2… Russell Shepard – QB/WR (99.19 rating): Given the list uses the On3 Industry rankings, there’s a mix between rankings for Shepard as a dual-threat quarterback and a wide receiver. No matter, he’s one of the most important signees for the Tigers in the past 20 years. Shepard was the No. 2 overall recruit in American, checking in behind only USC quarterback signee Matt Barkley. Shepard was an ace recruiter who helped spearhead efforts on the ground across multiple recruiting classes. When he arrived at LSU, Shepard played quarterback, wide receiver and running back as a true freshman in 2009. His quarterback snaps came in the Wildcat formation, and Shepard finished third on the team in rushing with 277 yards and two touchdowns, including a 69-yard score in a win over Auburn. As a sophomore, Shepard moved away from the quarterback spot, and he made his first nine collegiate starts in a year when he logged 33 catches for 254 yards and one touchdown with 26 carries for 226 yards and two touchdowns. Shepard was the third wide receiver option behind Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham during a 2011 season when the Tigers went undefeated before falling to Alabama in the National Championship. His final season came during a 2012 season that featured a deep running back room and Beckham and Jarvis Landry as the team’s top wide receivers. Shepard wasn’t drafted, but he found his way in the NFL by spending seven seasons on active rosters with three different teams. Shepard retired in 2019.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 2 overall, No. 1 WR, No. 1 in Texas

1… Leonard Fournette – RB (99.68 rating): Fournette’s name is still mentioned in recruiting circles given he’s one of the biggest recruits to come out of the state of Louisiana in a long line of high school greats. Fournette was a household name as a high school football player in New Orleans, and his commitment to LSU in the 2014 class was a program-changing moment. Fournette rushed for more yards (1,034) than any freshman in program history, then followed it up with a sophomore year when he ran for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns – both LSU single-season records. While his junior year was cut short with a lingering ankle injury, Fournette still rushed for 843 yards and eight touchdowns. In just 32 games, Fournette finished No. 4 in LSU program history in rushing yards (3,830), No. 2 in all-purpose yards per game (155.7), No. 3 in overall touchdowns (42) and No. 4 in rushing touchdowns (40). As the fastest player in LSU history to reach 2,000 and 3,000 rushing yards, Fournette lived up to his billing as the No. 1 high school running back in America and the highest-rated prospect on this list.

On3 Industry Rankings: No. 2 overall, No. 1 RB, No. 1 in Louisiana