The top 50 recruits combined between Clemson and LSU
By: Larry Williams
From fans' perspective, there's so much about a rivalry that goes beyond what happens on that one day a year when the two teams meet.
Yes, the winner on the field gets bragging rights and all that.
But score is kept in so many ways other than on the scoreboard as fans cross paths in person and online.
So here's another way to keep score as the longing for next season takes on far more gravity than usual.
Let's see where Clemson stands against some of its rivals by combining the two rosters and ranking the top 50 players.
The criteria is pretty simple: Where each player was ranked by Rivals.com as a high school prospect.
The obvious flaw in this method is that sometimes the recruiting analysts get it wrong. Travis Etienne, for example, would unquestionably rank near the top of this list. But since he was a 3-star in the 2017 class, he didn't make the Rivals250 and thus doesn't make this Top 50.
Chris Olave is an outstanding receiver for Ohio State, but he was a 3-star in high school.
Even with that in mind, it's still fun to examine the raw numbers and see where Clemson stands compared to some of its chief competition.
So far we have examined Clemson vs. South Carolina (the Tigers have 34 of the 50 spots), Clemson vs. Ohio State (the Buckeyes have 30 of the 50), Clemson vs. Florida State (Clemson has 30 of the 50 spots), Clemson vs. Alabama (Alabama has 29 of the 50 spots) and Clemson vs. UGA (UGA has 28 of the 50 spots).
Now we turn our attention to the program last seen in the New Orleans Superdome capping an astounding season with an overwhelming 42-25 victory over Clemson in the national championship game.
These two teams are scheduled to meet again in 2025 when LSU visits the Palmetto State's Death Valley, and then in 2026 when Clemson returns the favor by going to Baton Rouge.
But it wouldn't be at all surprising if they meet again in the College Football Playoff over the next four seasons.
LSU leads 26-24 in our Top 50. Here's the breakdown:
1. Bryan Bresee, DL (No. 1, 2020 class)
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB (No. 1, 2018)
1. Derek Stingley Jr., CB (No. 1, 2019)
4. D.J. Uiagalelei, QB (No. 3, 2020)
5. Myles Murphy, DE (No. 4, 2020)
6. Xavier Thomas, DE (No. 5, 2018)
7. Elias Ricks, CB (No. 6, 2020)
8. Arik Gilbert, TE (No. 9, 2020)
9. Trenton Simpson, LB (No. 11, 2020)
10. Andrew Booth, CB (No. 14, 2019)
11. Justyn Ross, WR (No. 15, 2018)
12. Jackson Carman, OT (No. 16, 2018)
13. Marcel Brooks, LB (No. 18, 2019)
14. Trey Palmer, WR (No. 20, 2019)
15. Demarkcus Bowman, RB (No. 26, 2020)
15. K.J. Henry, DE (No. 26, 2018)
15. Kardell Thomas, OL (No. 26, 2019)
18. Terrace Marshall, Jr., WR (No. 27, 2018)
18. Joe Ngata, WR (No. 27, 2019)
20. Jacoby Stevens, S (No. 28, 2017)
21. Derion Kendrick, WR/CB (No. 30, 2018)
22. Tyler Shelvin, DT (No. 34, 2017)
23. Kayshon Boutte, WR (No. 35, 2020)
24. John Emery, RB (No. 36, 2019)
24. Cornell Powell, WR (No. 36, 2016)
26. Walker Parks, OL (No. 38, 2020)
27. E.J. Williams, WR (No. 50, 2020)
28. Fred Davis, CB (No. 52, 2020)
29. DeMonte Capehart, DT (No. 54, 2020)
30. Frank Ladson, WR (No. 56, 2019)
31. Austin Deculus, OL (No. 59, 2017)
32. Jordan Toles, S (No. 63, 2020)
33. Ja’Marr Chase, WR (No. 67, 2018)
34. Phillip Webb, LB (No. 73, 2020)
35. Jaquelin Roy, DT (No. 75, 2020)
36. Jacobian Guillory, DT (No. 81, 2020)
37. Anthony Bradford, OL (No. 85, 2019)
38. Josh White, LB (No. 88, 2020)
39. Sheridan Jones, CB (No. 89, 2019)
40. Siaki Ika, DT (No. 93, 2019)
41. Antoine Sampah, LB (No. 95, 2020)
42. Mario Goodrich, CB (No. 99, 2018)
43. LeAnthony Williams, CB (No. 111, 2017)
44. Will Putnam, OL (No. 120, 2019)
45. Marcus Dumervil, OT (No. 121, 2020)
46. B.J. Ojulari, LB (No. 122, 2020)
47. Paul Tchio, OL (No. 124, 2020)
48. Dwight McGlothern, CB (No. 125, 2020)
49. Devonta Lee, ATH (No. 126, 2019)
50. Koy Moore, WR (No. 130, 2020)
A few takeaways:
-- Clemson owns nine of the top 12 spots and 19 of the top 30, but then LSU claims 15 of the final 20 spots to gain a slight edge overall.
-- The Bayou Bengals cleaned up in the 2019 and 2020 classes, totaling 23 players who were ranked in the nation's top 150 by Rivals. This after LSU accounted for just three players in the top 150 players of 2018 (though it should be noted that two of those three players were Ja'Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall).
-- Ed Orgeron sure knows how to recruit. In 2016, cornerback Kristian Fulton was LSU's highest-rated signee at No. 58. The Bayou Bengals are on a much different level now as they rampage the recruiting trail.
-- The fascinating thing about LSU's staggering 14 picks in the recent NFL Draft: Six of those draftees were rated 3 stars or less by Rivals, including Joe Burrow (3 star), Justin Jefferson (2 star), Lloyd Cushenberry (2 star) and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (3 star).
-- LSU lost four players early to the NFL Draft who would've made the Top 50: linebacker Jacob Phillips (No. 29, 2017); safety Grant Delpit (No. 70, 2017), linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson (No. 110, 2017) and tight end Thaddeus Moss (No. 123, 2016).
-- Safety Kelvin Joseph (No. 55, 2018) transferred to Arizona.
-- Clemson has two 5-star quarterbacks on its roster while the two main contenders for Burrow's vacated position didn't make this list. Myles Brennan was a 4-star who ranked 212th nationally in the 2017 class. Max Johnson didn't make the 2020 Rivals250 and was a 4-star.
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By: Larry Williams
From fans' perspective, there's so much about a rivalry that goes beyond what happens on that one day a year when the two teams meet.
Yes, the winner on the field gets bragging rights and all that.
But score is kept in so many ways other than on the scoreboard as fans cross paths in person and online.
So here's another way to keep score as the longing for next season takes on far more gravity than usual.
Let's see where Clemson stands against some of its rivals by combining the two rosters and ranking the top 50 players.
The criteria is pretty simple: Where each player was ranked by Rivals.com as a high school prospect.
The obvious flaw in this method is that sometimes the recruiting analysts get it wrong. Travis Etienne, for example, would unquestionably rank near the top of this list. But since he was a 3-star in the 2017 class, he didn't make the Rivals250 and thus doesn't make this Top 50.
Chris Olave is an outstanding receiver for Ohio State, but he was a 3-star in high school.
Even with that in mind, it's still fun to examine the raw numbers and see where Clemson stands compared to some of its chief competition.
So far we have examined Clemson vs. South Carolina (the Tigers have 34 of the 50 spots), Clemson vs. Ohio State (the Buckeyes have 30 of the 50), Clemson vs. Florida State (Clemson has 30 of the 50 spots), Clemson vs. Alabama (Alabama has 29 of the 50 spots) and Clemson vs. UGA (UGA has 28 of the 50 spots).
Now we turn our attention to the program last seen in the New Orleans Superdome capping an astounding season with an overwhelming 42-25 victory over Clemson in the national championship game.
These two teams are scheduled to meet again in 2025 when LSU visits the Palmetto State's Death Valley, and then in 2026 when Clemson returns the favor by going to Baton Rouge.
But it wouldn't be at all surprising if they meet again in the College Football Playoff over the next four seasons.
LSU leads 26-24 in our Top 50. Here's the breakdown:
1. Bryan Bresee, DL (No. 1, 2020 class)
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB (No. 1, 2018)
1. Derek Stingley Jr., CB (No. 1, 2019)
4. D.J. Uiagalelei, QB (No. 3, 2020)
5. Myles Murphy, DE (No. 4, 2020)
6. Xavier Thomas, DE (No. 5, 2018)
7. Elias Ricks, CB (No. 6, 2020)
8. Arik Gilbert, TE (No. 9, 2020)
9. Trenton Simpson, LB (No. 11, 2020)
10. Andrew Booth, CB (No. 14, 2019)
11. Justyn Ross, WR (No. 15, 2018)
12. Jackson Carman, OT (No. 16, 2018)
13. Marcel Brooks, LB (No. 18, 2019)
14. Trey Palmer, WR (No. 20, 2019)
15. Demarkcus Bowman, RB (No. 26, 2020)
15. K.J. Henry, DE (No. 26, 2018)
15. Kardell Thomas, OL (No. 26, 2019)
18. Terrace Marshall, Jr., WR (No. 27, 2018)
18. Joe Ngata, WR (No. 27, 2019)
20. Jacoby Stevens, S (No. 28, 2017)
21. Derion Kendrick, WR/CB (No. 30, 2018)
22. Tyler Shelvin, DT (No. 34, 2017)
23. Kayshon Boutte, WR (No. 35, 2020)
24. John Emery, RB (No. 36, 2019)
24. Cornell Powell, WR (No. 36, 2016)
26. Walker Parks, OL (No. 38, 2020)
27. E.J. Williams, WR (No. 50, 2020)
28. Fred Davis, CB (No. 52, 2020)
29. DeMonte Capehart, DT (No. 54, 2020)
30. Frank Ladson, WR (No. 56, 2019)
31. Austin Deculus, OL (No. 59, 2017)
32. Jordan Toles, S (No. 63, 2020)
33. Ja’Marr Chase, WR (No. 67, 2018)
34. Phillip Webb, LB (No. 73, 2020)
35. Jaquelin Roy, DT (No. 75, 2020)
36. Jacobian Guillory, DT (No. 81, 2020)
37. Anthony Bradford, OL (No. 85, 2019)
38. Josh White, LB (No. 88, 2020)
39. Sheridan Jones, CB (No. 89, 2019)
40. Siaki Ika, DT (No. 93, 2019)
41. Antoine Sampah, LB (No. 95, 2020)
42. Mario Goodrich, CB (No. 99, 2018)
43. LeAnthony Williams, CB (No. 111, 2017)
44. Will Putnam, OL (No. 120, 2019)
45. Marcus Dumervil, OT (No. 121, 2020)
46. B.J. Ojulari, LB (No. 122, 2020)
47. Paul Tchio, OL (No. 124, 2020)
48. Dwight McGlothern, CB (No. 125, 2020)
49. Devonta Lee, ATH (No. 126, 2019)
50. Koy Moore, WR (No. 130, 2020)
A few takeaways:
-- Clemson owns nine of the top 12 spots and 19 of the top 30, but then LSU claims 15 of the final 20 spots to gain a slight edge overall.
-- The Bayou Bengals cleaned up in the 2019 and 2020 classes, totaling 23 players who were ranked in the nation's top 150 by Rivals. This after LSU accounted for just three players in the top 150 players of 2018 (though it should be noted that two of those three players were Ja'Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall).
-- Ed Orgeron sure knows how to recruit. In 2016, cornerback Kristian Fulton was LSU's highest-rated signee at No. 58. The Bayou Bengals are on a much different level now as they rampage the recruiting trail.
-- The fascinating thing about LSU's staggering 14 picks in the recent NFL Draft: Six of those draftees were rated 3 stars or less by Rivals, including Joe Burrow (3 star), Justin Jefferson (2 star), Lloyd Cushenberry (2 star) and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (3 star).
-- LSU lost four players early to the NFL Draft who would've made the Top 50: linebacker Jacob Phillips (No. 29, 2017); safety Grant Delpit (No. 70, 2017), linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson (No. 110, 2017) and tight end Thaddeus Moss (No. 123, 2016).
-- Safety Kelvin Joseph (No. 55, 2018) transferred to Arizona.
-- Clemson has two 5-star quarterbacks on its roster while the two main contenders for Burrow's vacated position didn't make this list. Myles Brennan was a 4-star who ranked 212th nationally in the 2017 class. Max Johnson didn't make the 2020 Rivals250 and was a 4-star.
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