Tag: Zalance Heard

Blue-chip LSU target has made decision, will announce commitment Thursday

One of the Tigers’ top remaining prospects, offensive tackle DJ Chester, is coming off the board this week.

As we enter the final month of the 2022 regular season, early signing day is fast approaching.

LSU already has a top-10 class, but it’s hoping for even better as it remains in the running for a number of talented, uncommitted prospects. One of them, four-star offensive tackle [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag], is set to announce his decision this week.

The McDonough, Georgia, native plays for Eagles Landing Christian Academy, and after an official visit to Ann Arbor for Michigan’s win over rival Michigan State, Chester is ready to make his decision.

He will announce his commitment on Thursday around 8:30 a.m. CT and will choose between a top six that includes LSU, Florida State, Michigan, Ole Miss, Auburn and Florida A&M. Chester told On3 that he is “at peace” with his decision.

The Tigers have two Crystal Ball projections for Chester from 247Sports — which ranks him as the No. 13 offensive tackle and No. 138 overall player. LSU is also a heavy favorite according to On3, which has a 95.4% chance of landing him.

If the Tigers can land Chester, it would give them four offensive line commits in the class as he would join [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag], [autotag]Tyree Adams[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Mubenga[/autotag].

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LSU deemed a recruiting winner in September

The Tigers only landed one pledge in September, but it was quality over quantity.

LSU coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] had a bit of a slow start in the 2023 recruiting class, but things really started to heat up toward the end of the summer. After fantastic strides in July and August, the Tigers’ class ranked in the top 10.

September wasn’t as flashy on the recruiting trail, as LSU only landed one commitment. But it was quality over quantity, as it secured a commitment from in-state offensive tackle [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag], who is rated as a five-star recruit by On3, on Sept. 1.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that On3’s Keegan Pope deemed LSU one of its winners from the month of September when it comes to recruiting.

On3 Consensus Team Ranking: No. 6
August Commitments: 1
Avg. Rating Per Commit: 95.43

After massive months in July and August, which featured a combined 15 commitments, LSU slowed down a bit in September. But few pledges will be bigger — literally or figuratively — than On3 five-star offensive tackle Zalance Heard. The Tigers were long considered the favorites, but did have to hold off overtures from some other programs. After landing top-40 offensive lineman Will Campbell last cycle, the team’s current starting tackle, Brian Kelly and Co. have added another cornerstone offensive lineman with Heard.

Kelly already has a phenomenal class in his first full recruiting cycle, thanks to commitments like Heard’s. But the Tigers are still vying for several players who are uncommitted or pledged elsewhere. If they can land a few of them, this class could be an elite one.

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WATCH: LSU commit Zalance Heard with a nice pancake block

The five-star recruit is going to be a menace for the Tigers up front.

[autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag] is a 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive tackle from Monroe, Louisiana. where he plays for Neville High School. Heard committed the LSU Tigers before his senior year as a Neville Tiger.

Neville is currently 2-1 this season after beating Huntington 49-12 on the road. Heard made his presence known in this clip where he pancakes the defensive end. It has got to be an incredible feeling as an offensive lineman when you throw someone like a ragdoll and just surf over them when you dive onto them.

This is the kind of physicality and blocking that [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the LSU Tigers can expect from Heard next fall on the bayou. For now, LSU is trying to find the right combination for their offensive line as they prepare for their first SEC test of the season against the Mississippi State Bulldogs under the lights in Death Valley.

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LSU picks up a prediction for four-star offensive lineman

The Tigers are the favorite to land another blue-chip offensive line prospect.

[autotag]D.J. Chester[/autotag] is a four-star, 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman from McDonough, Georgia, where he plays for Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy. The Chargers have started the 2022 season 1-2 following a 28-21 loss to Calvary Day last week.

On3’s Shea Dixon recently predicted that Chester would commit to LSU. Chester is also Crystal Balled to commit to LSU per 247Sports. If Chester were to commit, he would become the fourth offensive lineman commit of the 2023 class, joining [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag], [autotag]Tyree Adams[/autotag], and [autotag]Paul Mubenga[/autotag].

The Tigers 2023 class currently ranks as the No. 7 class in the country, but it is in the mix for several more blue-chip recruits and could end up in the top five.

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2023 5-Star OT Commits to LSU Over Nebraska

A 2023 5-star OT prospect committed to LSU over Nebraska.

2023 five-star offensive tackle prospect Zalance Heard has committed to LSU. Nebraska was one of his five finalists along with LSU, Houston, Florida, and Florida State. On3 ranks Heard as the 13th-best prospect in the 2023 class. He attends Neville High School in Monroe, Louisiana.

LSU had been considered the favorite to land Heard. He is an in-state prospect, and 247 Sports’ Crystal Ball previously predicted Heard to commit to LSU.

Missing out on a big-time prospect like Heard is disappointing for the Cornhuskers, but they are still in play for many other recruits. Approximately 25 recruits will visit Nebraska this weekend, according to Bryan Munson of On3.

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Where LSU stands in the 247Sports Composite recruiting rankings after Zalance Heard’s commitment

After landing yet another top-100 prospect, the Tigers are on the rise.

The month of August may not have been as explosive on the recruiting trail for the Tigers as July was, but they were able to maintain a lot of their momentum.

Coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] added three blue-chip commits to his 2023 class: five-star wideout [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag], four-star quarterback [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] and four-star athlete [autotag]Khai Prean[/autotag] — all Louisiana prospects.

Then, the Tigers kicked off September in a big way by landing offensive tackle [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag], another in-state prospect who is listed as a four-star by 247Sports but is a five-star according to other recruiting services.

With these pickups, here’s where Kelly’s class stands among the rest of the country per the 247Sports Composite.

BREAKING: LSU lands elite in-state offensive tackle prospect

Brian Kelly has landed another blue-chip Louisiana prospect in OT Zalance Heard.

The Tigers already had an impressive 2023 recruiting class heading into the month of September. But on Thursday, that group got even better for coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag].

LSU secured a commitment from Neville (Monroe, Louisiana) offensive tackle [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag]. 247Sports lists Heard as a four-star recruit sitting just outside the top 50 nationally, but On3 is significantly higher on the 6-foot-5, 300-pound prospect, ranking him as a five-star and the No. 13 player nationally.

Per the 247Sports Composite, he is the No. 6 offensive tackle and No. 4 prospect in the state of Louisiana.

He becomes the third offensive lineman to commit to the Tigers in this cycle, joining fellow offensive tackles [autotag]Tyree Adams[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Mubenga[/autotag].

Earlier in this cycle, there were questions about Kelly’s ability to recruit the state of Louisiana. Now, he holds pledges from six of the top 13 players in the state.

Heard’s commitment didn’t move LSU beyond No. 7 in the 247Sports Composite rankings, but the Tigers are now neck-and-neck with Ohio State for the No. 6 spot.

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5-star LSU target receives new Crystal Ball projection

Things are looking good for the Tigers with one of the best prospects in Louisiana.

With his commitment day looming, [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag] has received a new Crystal Ball projection from 247Sports.

Robert Sellers, a Houston Insider, has projected Heard to commit to the LSU Tigers. Heard is a five-star, 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive tackle from Monroe, Louisiana, where he plays for Neville High School.

Per On3, LSU is the heavy favorite to land Heard at 97%. The Tigers currently have 21 commits for the 2023 recruiting class, which currently ranks No. 7 in the country.

That would change if Heard commits to the Tigers.

Heard would be the second five-star commit of the class, joining wide receiver [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag], and the third offensive lineman.

Heard is set to commit on Thursday. As soon as he makes his announcement, you can find the breaking news right here on LSU Wire.

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Where is LSU in the latest recruiting rankings?

The Tigers are approaching a top-five class after its recruiting momentum has continued into August.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the LSU Tigers coaching staff have had a great month of August so far. The Tigers landed four excellent prospects for the class of 2023, [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Kylin Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] and [autotag]Khai Prean[/autotag].

So how does that affect the recruiting rankings for the Tigers?

According to the new On3 rankings, LSU has moved up to the sixth position overall and they may not be done landing commitments. [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag] and [autotag]Nyckoles Harbor[/autotag] are waiting in the wings.

Harbor doesn’t have a commitment date set yet, but Heard is set to commit on Sept. 1, and he is currently Crystal Balled to go to LSU. His commitment alone could move the Tigers up into the top five of the recruiting rankings.

That would be a nice present for Kelly as the season gets started next Sunday night against the Florida State Seminoles at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

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4-star Tigers defensive line target commits to Alabama

The Tigers missed out on Kansas City prospect Edric Hill.

You can’t win ’em all.

LSU has had a lot of momentum on the recruiting trail over the last couple of months, but it lost a battle on Monday when four-star Kansas City defensive lineman [autotag]Edric Hill[/autotag] announced his commitment to Alabama over Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, USC and the Tigers.

Hill is the No. 183 overall player in the 2023 class, per the 247Sports Composite, and he was initially slated to decide in September before moving his commitment date up to Monday. LSU got an official visit from Hill this summer, but it wasn’t able to close the deal as he’ll be joining its division rival in Tuscaloosa.

Any time you miss out on a top-200 player it’s disappointing, but Hill was considered a heavy Crimson Tide lean. The Tigers still boast a strong 2023 recruiting class that ranks sixth in the nation. If they can pick up a pledge from five-star in-state offensive tackle [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag], it will almost certainly boost them into the top five.

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