LSU’s 2020 class was regarded as elite at the time. When the Tigers signed their 22-man group, it ranked as the No. 4 class in the entire country.
But with the power of hindsight, the class may have been even better than we realized at the time. That’s because two players, in particular, have overplayed their recruiting stature quite a bit.
ESPN recently released a re-rank of the top-25 players in the 2020 class, and it features two LSU players that were not among the top 25 coming out of high school: Receiver [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag].
Boutte was the higher-regarded of the two as a recruit. He was still a five-star but ranked outside the top 30. Now, ESPN lists Boutte at No. 14. Despite a slow start to the season, Boutte is an elite talent and one of the top receiver prospects in the 2023 NFL draft.
LSU | 2020 ESPN 300 ranking: 33 (No. 3 WR)
When he’s healthy, Boutte has shown to be among the best in the country, especially as a route runner. Consistency has been the issue with Boutte, but when he’s on, he can dominate as of the most explosive players in college football. Coming off his first 100-yard performance of the season against Florida on Saturday, Boutte is physical with strong hands when contested and has traits similar to former LSU great Ja’Marr Chase.
However, the real overachiever has been Ojulari. A four-star recruit that sat outside the national top 100, Ojulari has since become a leader for the Tigers on and off the field. He’s also one of the nation’s top edge rushers and leads the team in sacks with 3.5 on the 2022 season.
LSU | 2020 ESPN 300 ranking: 122 (No. 13 DE)
Ojulari wasn’t the most high-profile name for a loaded Marietta High School (Georgia) state championship team that sent multiple players to Power 5 programs, but he has proven to be the most impactful. Ojulari is a lengthy, rangy edge defender with excellent initial quickness who went from an immediate contributor in his first year to a starter and leading pass-rusher in Year 2. Despite the Tigers’ struggles and coaching changes, he has remained a constant bright spot in Baton Rouge. Ojulari is among Jordan Reid’s top five draft-eligible defensive ends.
Recruiting rankings matter, and landing top prospects is key. But sometimes solid recruits can have great careers, and even high-profile recruits can impress beyond what was expected.
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