Chattman is a Tiger Shea Dixon - 14 hours ago The good news keeps on coming for the Tigers on the recruiting trail. Following his visit for Boys from the Boot this past weekend, LSU has landed a commitment from McDonogh 35 prospect Clifford Chattman, a 6-foot-5 and 185-pounder who is versatile enough to play safety or outside linebacker. "He was just on the phone with Coach Miles and he committed to LSU," said McDonogh coach Corey McCloud. "He's excited. You can see it in his eyes." Chattman, who also holds offers from Arizona State, Arizona, Colorado State, Florida State, Tulane, Mississippi State and Georgia, is LSU's sixth commitment in the 2016 class and the first defensive pledge in the group. "When I came to McDonogh 35 two years ago, I had been coaching on the collegiate level, and I arrived here and he was playing free safety," McCloud said. "I told him that you can get rich playing outside linebacker. He has the ball skills and athleticism of a free safety, and I see that as more of an asset. He's got broad shoulders, and he can actually put on some weight. "Once he gets into a system where he is lifting and the training table comes in, he can put on 20 pounds easily. He plays every sport and runs the 200-meters and 400-meters in track. There's really no time for us to sit him down and pack weight on him. But once he gets to the college level, he could grow into a great outside linebacker."
Even though the jury obviously is still out on whether he remains at S, if he adds weight like everyone seems to think he will, and the way he moves and hits right now with his current weight, hard to believe he won't become an outside LBer in college. Anyway, when I'm counting LSU LBer signings in 2016, I'm putting him in the OLB category. But LSU still needs at least 3 more LBers in this class...Miles said they needed to sign 4 LBers in the 2016 class when talking about the 2015 class..
That sounds right to me but the commit lists (by the services of course not LSU which can't list commits) and most of the articles I've read still have him being stated as a safety. But yeah, given the desperate need at LBer starting in 2016 (really 2015) and given the fact he is 6'5", IMO he should definitely be slotted in as a LBer and really listed as such by the services.
Just watched some video on the guy just offered by LSU at LBer...supposed 5* Caleb Kelly from Fresno, CA. Not even close for me. IF I could only take one, I would take Chattman. He is clearly faster which might be expected being 20 lbs lighter but Chattman hits with more authority also. If I had to rate them right now, I would rate Chattman not the high 3* he is with limited services rating him but a medium 4* (5.9 on Rivals scale). Kelly I would drop down from a low 5* to a low 4*. LSU should and did offer both but IMO LSU has the better of the two already committed. As you know, the services dramatically change the ratings of players up and down after camps, during HS season, etc. Be interested to keep tabs on these two.
LSU has traditionally had dismal success in recruiting players from California. Several have eventually signed but left within a couple of years. The culture shock of the deep south is significant for left coast people.
And Oklahoma has seemed to have at least moderate success out west which is puzzling. The culture shock from Cali to Norman would have to be equally significant.
Significant, but not as much as in the deep south. The whole SEC has the same problem. Not only are white Confederate-Americans significantly different from the laid-back white Californians, but black southerners are culturally different from L.A. blacks. It's a double culture shock.
