Unpacking LSU football's 2024 recruiting class: Tigers sign 27 prospects but aren't done yet

BATON ROUGE — LSU football had a drama-free opening day of the early signing period on Wednesday.

Coach Brian Kelly and the Tigers signed all 27 players committed to their 2024 class and didn't add any last-second signees. According to 247Sports Composite, LSU has the No. 11 class in the nation and the No. 4 class in the SEC.

But that's none of that is to say that LSU's 2024 class is finished.

The Tigers are awaiting a verdict from four-star offensive lineman Coen Echols who announces his college decision on Friday. They are also still in the hunt for the signatures of five-star athlete Terry Bussey and five-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley. Both top prospects are committed to Texas A&M but Bussey and McKinley's mother have told On3Sports that they won't sign with a school until National Signing Day on Feb. 7.

Here's a look at where LSU's 2024 class stands after Wednesday, the opening day of the early signing period.

LSU's 2024 class lacks elite talent

LSU has accumulated a deep 2024 class with 18 four-star signees and 12 top-200 prospects in the nation.

But the group lacks elite five-star talent.

The Tigers do not have any five-star signees. The only LSU prospect in the top-50 of the national rankings is tight end Trey'Dez Green who is also the No. 1 tight end in America. On3 Sports pegs offensive tackle Weston Davis as a five-star signee but no other recruiting site lists him as such.

The absence of top tier talent in the class makes LSU's pursuits of Bussey and McKinley paramount, especially since both elite recruits play positions of need for the Tigers. Bussey projects as a defensive back at the next level while McKinley — a Louisiana native who attends Acadiana High School — is a defensive tackle.

LSU has already scheduled an official visit with McKinley in January, his mother told 247Sports. Bussey made three trips to Baton Rouge during the season including an official visit in September.

Tennessee, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Texas and Oklahoma are also in the hunt for McKinley. In contention for Bussey's signature besides LSU is Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Alabama.

Strengthening a strength: LSU signs impressive offensive line class

LSU signed five offensive linemen on Wednesday, acquiring signatures from four-star prospects Ethan Calloway, Davis and Ory Williams and three-star prospects Jo Cryer and Khayree Lee Jr.

Calloway, Williams and Davis are offensive tackles. Davis is the highest rated of the bunch as the No. 7 offensive tackle in the nation, Calloway was a top-10 recruit in North Carolina and Williams has the size to be an SEC tackle right away at 6-foot-9 and 297 pounds.

Cryer and Lee may be three-star recruits but are both interior offensive linemen with the right measurables for the position. Cryer is 6-foot-3 and 294 pounds while Lee is 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds.

The Tigers may not be done adding offensive linemen either. Echols made an official visit to LSU last week and will make his college decision between LSU and Auburn on Friday. According to 247Sports, Auburn is the favorite to earn his signature as of Wednesday.

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LSU's 2024 class sports plenty of Louisiana talent

LSU signed 17 players from Louisiana on Wednesday, including 10 of the top 12 players in the state.

Green, who attends Zachary High School, tops the list as the No. 2 prospect in Louisiana. Four-star safety Dashawn McBryde follows behind Green as the No. 3 player in the state. The Tigers also have signatures from four-star linebackers Tylen Singleton and Kolaj Cobbins, the No. 5 and 6 players from Louisiana, respectively.

The only top-10 prospects from Louisiana that LSU hasn't landed are McKinley and Texas signee Wardell Mack, the No. 4 player in the state.

Building the roster around Louisiana natives has been a point of emphasis for Kelly and his staff since they've arrived in Baton Rouge. LSU signed three of the top-10 players in Louisiana's 2022 class but signed six of the top-12 players in the state the next year and, including this month, has added 13 players from the transfer portal who call the state home.

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Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser. Email him at kriley@theadvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter at @KokiRiley

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU football 2024 recruiting class: Analyzing the Tigers' signees