Any of you know of Dexter Blackmon??

[Fishhead]

Leslie has accepted a commit from a guy from Selma, AL...Dexter Blackmon. Depending on which LSU site you visit, some are in semi-meltdown mode over this. If you check Rivals, there is NOTHING on him except his height and weight, and his offer sheet. I know he attended a Bama camp and a Barn camp. His best offer is from Troy.
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Earlier this week, Leslie offered and accepted a commitment from a NOLA prospect that...although they won't admit it now...not many LSU fans had heard of named Tyrann Mathieu. There was a little film of him from the UT camp, and it was very impressive. However, at the time, he was unrated, and his best offer (by far) was from USM. Two days later he was rated by Rivals as a 4*, and LSU fans either took a deep breath, or they claimed they knew about this kid all along...a hidden gem...a diamond in the rough.
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But this Blackmon kid...NOBODY knows anything about him. What about you guys? He was at a Bama camp, and he's from Selma. Surely some of you know SOMETHING about him...good or bad. Fill me in so I can either confirm the meltdown is warranted, or give some of my fellow Tiger fans something to chill out about. They are really freaking out because we are already at 20 commits, and it's still July. Also, this should pretty much end our DL recruiting this season, and they just don't understand taking a commit from an unknown.
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I'd like to think Leslie and Co. know what they're doing...say what you will, but he has recruited well since he's been at LSU. But I must admit, this one has me scratching my head a little bit. It seems they offered him solely based on his performance at the LSU camp that ended earlier this week, and I have heard he did very well there. I know you guys are pretty full at DL in this class, which is a legit reason for no offer from Bama. Not sure about AU, though.
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Maybe Leslie just wanted to say he stole one from Saban and Bama!
Thanks in advance!

 

[WAW4Tide]

After reading the TigerBait article...it sounds like he is a good kid with a smart head and idea about his future...he may be a developmental player but it seems more likely that he messed around in school and is a high academic risk.

 

[marcusroby]

I've never heard of him and I work with dozens of FB fans from the Selma area.

 

[JPT4Bama]

Not familiar with the name. Doesn't Woodrow Lowe coach Selma HS? Or maybe he used to...

 

[Fishhead]

I know nothing about Selma football, but I believe his father is a coach (maybe assistant) there. The Loch Ness Monster is less of an enigma than this guy...at least I've heard of the Loch Ness Monster!
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I really do have a feeling the guy just had a monster camp at LSU, and outshined the rest. I also feel positive the coaches were at least already aware of him.
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I've also heard that he was injured...perhaps an automobile accident...and didn't play much last season. Perhaps that's why he is to a large degree unknown. If you go to Rivals, you can find the limited profile on him...but it did NOT exist prior to his commitment. They put it up there after he committed last night.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Leslie has accepted a commit from a guy from Selma, AL...Dexter Blackmon. Depending on which LSU site you visit, some are in semi-meltdown mode over this. If you check Rivals, there is NOTHING on him except his height and weight, and his offer sheet. I know he attended a Bama camp and a Barn camp. His best offer is from Troy.
-
Earlier this week, Leslie offered and accepted a commitment from a NOLA prospect that...although they won't admit it now...not many LSU fans had heard of named Tyrann Mathieu. There was a little film of him from the UT camp, and it was very impressive. However, at the time, he was unrated, and his best offer (by far) was from USM. Two days later he was rated by Rivals as a 4*, and LSU fans either took a deep breath, or they claimed they knew about this kid all along...a hidden gem...a diamond in the rough.
-
But this Blackmon kid...NOBODY knows anything about him. What about you guys? He was at a Bama camp, and he's from Selma. Surely some of you know SOMETHING about him...good or bad. Fill me in so I can either confirm the meltdown is warranted, or give some of my fellow Tiger fans something to chill out about. They are really freaking out because we are already at 20 commits, and it's still July. Also, this should pretty much end our DL recruiting this season, and they just don't understand taking a commit from an unknown.
-
I'd like to think Leslie and Co. know what they're doing...say what you will, but he has recruited well since he's been at LSU. But I must admit, this one has me scratching my head a little bit. It seems they offered him solely based on his performance at the LSU camp that ended earlier this week, and I have heard he did very well there. I know you guys are pretty full at DL in this class, which is a legit reason for no offer from Bama. Not sure about AU, though.
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Maybe Leslie just wanted to say he stole one from Saban and Bama!
Thanks in advance!

Blackmon camped at Bama like you said, but he was never a serious DE prospect and he was not going to get a Bama offer. Also as you said his only offer besides LSU was from Troy. He is not in any of the Alabama 2010 rankings at all. He is a real sleeper and a reach for LSU in my opinion.

 

[BigEasyTider]

I was aware of him prior to this, but that is about it. I did watch one of Selma's games last year, and he did not stand out to me in it. I know he did attend a 'Bama camp earlier this year, and I'm pretty sure he attended an Auburn camp as well, but neither staff really gave him a second look. I was honestly expecting him to end up at either Troy or South Alabama.

Sorry I don't have anything more for you, but that's about it. I'll be honest with you, Fish, and I'm not trying to overly criticize or anything, but Les' recent forays into the state of Alabama really have not made any sense to me, and this one is no different.

 

[Fishhead]

I was aware of him prior to this, but that is about it. I did watch one of Selma's games last year, and he did not stand out to me in it. I know he did attend a 'Bama camp earlier this year, and I'm pretty sure he attended an Auburn camp as well, but neither staff really gave him a second look. I was honestly expecting him to end up at either Troy or South Alabama.

Sorry I don't have anything more for you, but that's about it. I'll be honest with you, Fish, and I'm not trying to overly criticize or anything, but Les' recent forays into the state of Alabama really have not made any sense to me, and this one is no different.

Well, I don't know. Sam Gibson is a 4* that runs a 4.4 forty, and he has good size to him. I think you guys just didn't have room to offer him. Plus, he sports nearly a 4.0 GPA...gotta add that kind of thing into the equation. Of course, all of this season's recruits are unknown, but I think it makes sense to take a commit from a 4* with those kind of numbers if you need a good athlete, no matter where he's from.
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Last season, Williford was a 3* OL, but from everything I know about him...he was a good pickup. He also had a nice GPA (3.4) and ACT score (22), and you can't teach 6'7" 350! Les is pretty good evaluating OL talent...that is his forte.
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No forays into Alabama occurred in '08.
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In '07, he took commits from Corley (who will contribute this season) and Phelon Jones, both 4* prospects. Of course, Phelon is with you guys now, but still...at the time...you couldn't say it didn't make sense to take either of these guys on Les' part.
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So, other than Blackmon, who are you talking about? If you are insenuating that it's not worth it to go out of state for anything less than an elite 5* type guys, I can't help but disagree...and would add that the guys Saban has gotten from LA don't fit that criteria. Not sure I see where you're coming from.:conf2:



Also, I don't think Blackmon is going to project at DE at LSU...sounds like he is a DT project.

 

[rgw]

Simply put, I don't think a major football program is going to offer somebody who didn't show something the staff likes.

 

[Fishhead]

Simply put, I don't think a major football program is going to offer somebody who didn't show something the staff likes.

Oh I agree...I was just hoping one of you could shed some light.
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BET...waiting for that answer...seriously. Wanna know who Miles got from Alabama that didn't make sense...and why it didn't make sense. Not joking...I do appreciate your recruiting input...but that comment has me scratching my head. :conf2:

 

[THE BAMA IRISHMAN]

Not familiar with the name. Doesn't Woodrow Lowe coach Selma HS? Or maybe he used to...

Woodrow Lowe is currently at Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham. :BigA:

 

[BEATtutorsee]

Never heard of the guy. Seems like quite a reach for LSU considering how well ya'll normally recruit. JMHO. But hey, the kid could develop into quite the player, you just never know.

 

[BigEasyTider]

Fish,

Sorry for the belated reply, it's been a busy night. Anyway, my point...

Obviously when I talk about Les' Alabama forays not making sense lately, I'm not referring to his recruitment of Sidell Corley and Phelon Jones in 2007. Admittedly, Jones washed out of the LSU program after a couple of years, and Corley has really struggled to date, but that's entirely beside the point. Both of those guys were clearly top-end prospects who could have gone to any school in the country, and far from it not making sense, Alabama wanted those two very badly, and it was quite a coup for the Bayou Bengals when Miles came into Mobile and stole away those kids.

When I say it's just not making sense, I'm referring specifically to the additions of Williford, Gibson, and now Blackmon. I'm not going to make this overly lengthy because it's late, but those three really just did not make sense to me at all. I'm not necessarily saying that they are "bad" prospects, mind you, I just don't see why a program like LSU would take their commitment. It goes without saying that you guys have an elite program and that you, by and large, can get a ton of top-end talent, and with that in mind I just felt like these guys were major reaches and that a program like LSU could have gotten much better players to fill the same role.

I don't know, we'll see. Obviously Miles and company have really seen something they like in this kids. I do know that quite a few of the really highly-touted guys that Miles has signed haven't quite panned out as expected, so maybe he's trying to focus more closely on evaluations with some of the sleeper prospects. Again, I don't know, it's all speculation on my part. At any rate, my point is, again, that these just aren't players I would expect to end up at LSU... I would expect them to find better guys. Obviously Miles and company know much more about these kids and evaluating talent than I ever will, but just being honest if you would have asked me a month in advance if any of these kids would ever get legitimate interest from a program like LSU, I would have honestly said that they would have been invited walk-ons at best.

Again, not trying to bash the kids or your coach, or start anything for that matter, but that's just my honest take on it.

 

[GrandBayTider]

I live in Prattville and have watched Selma play a couple of times over the last couple of years. I honestly couldn't tell you anything about any of thier players however, since none of them really stood out when I watched them play. Doesn't mean he doesn't have talent, he might have not had much support around him.

Also wanted to touch on Sam Gibson being that I have watched him play a number of games including 7-on-7 work even. I like Sam, he is a good kid who does what his coaches tell him to do. But I never once thought of him as an SEC level athlete, not a QB but an athlete. It was assumed around here he would end up at Troy or UAB if he was lucky, maybe get a shot at WR or DB. We have wondered what in the world LSU saw that everybody around here who has watched him for years missed. I'm glad to see him go to LSU and wish him well, I like to see these kids go to good schools after working hard. And I think he will be a good player for LSU down the road, but will be shocked to ever see him start at Safety for the Tigers, JMO.

 

[Fishhead]

I live in Prattville and have watched Selma play a couple of times over the last couple of years. I honestly couldn't tell you anything about any of thier players however, since none of them really stood out when I watched them play. Doesn't mean he doesn't have talent, he might have not had much support around him.

Also wanted to touch on Sam Gibson being that I have watched him play a number of games including 7-on-7 work even. I like Sam, he is a good kid who does what his coaches tell him to do. But I never once thought of him as an SEC level athlete, not a QB but an athlete. It was assumed around here he would end up at Troy or UAB if he was lucky, maybe get a shot at WR or DB. We have wondered what in the world LSU saw that everybody around here who has watched him for years missed. I'm glad to see him go to LSU and wish him well, I like to see these kids go to good schools after working hard. And I think he will be a good player for LSU down the road, but will be shocked to ever see him start at Safety for the Tigers, JMO.

So Gibson has LSU AND the recruiting services fooled?

 

[BigAL413]

So Gibson has LSU AND the recruiting services fooled?

Does he have LSU fooled? Probably not.

The recruiting services? Probably.


I've come to the conclusion that the recruiting services elevate kids many times based solely on offers. How could a kid offered by an LSU or USC be second rate? I know that doesn't happen all the time, i.e. the Bates kid you have committed, but I think it happens more often than not. Especially with kids that are termed "athletes." Gibson's not gonna get bumped up in the QB category, but because he will play WR/DB/S those recruiting services have no clue how to truely evaluate him, so they use offers - and an LSU offer, right now, is better than a Willy Wonka golden ticket.

 

[BigEasyTider]

Well, I'll be honest and say that Gibson confuses me the most of anyone. When I saw Rivals rate him a four-star the other day, I couldn't believe that one. I thought, like mentioned earlier, that it just goes to show you how much a single offer from a top school can do to change your recruiting ratings by the "experts."

My thing on Williford and Blackmon is that, if nothing else, they are at least kids who could very well get overlooked in the recruiting process because of their situations. A kid like Gibson, though, is a completely different story. He's the starting quarterback at the state's most high-profile team, he is literally the last player in the state of Alabama who should be considered a sleeper.

I just don't see it with him. He's not a quarterback, and while I'm sure he can turn some pretty impressive 40 times, I just cannot see where he's going to be a true threat with the ball in his hands at a skill position. I mean the guy is currently playing on the most talented team in the state of Alabama, and even with that going for him he's basically averaging four yards per carry over the course of 100+ carries. And now that guy is going to step into the SEC and be a dynamic threat on the outside? I just don't see it.

Anyway, as for the four-star rating, that one surprised me, but honestly I'm not overly shocked. There are usually around 350 kids per year who are considered four-star recruits, and honestly any kid with a legitimate offer to a top program has a chance of getting that. And besides, even that notwithstanding, the recruiting "experts" always have some real head-scratchers rated as four-stars regardless of offer lists -- Terrance Broadway, anyone? -- so I'm not reading much into that.

 

[GrandBayTider]

So Gibson has LSU AND the recruiting services fooled?

I'm not saying they are wrong, I'm just giving you my opinion after watching him play multiple times in multiple settings. I would venture to say I have seen him play more than either one of them, however I also am not as qualified to make the evaluations so I could be completely off base. Like I said I think he is a good player but Larry Smith was a MUCH better QB than Gibson, and he wasn't a 4 star. Honestly I don't understand how Gibson became a 4 star. He was far from being the reason Prattville won games last year. He is a good player and will contribute at LSU, but I don't see him being a game changer which is what I expect from a 4 star.

 

[BEATtutorsee]

I don't necessarily have a problem with them projecting Gibson as a four star caliber player based on his athleticism alone, but they're projecting him as a four star at a position he doesn't play and has virtually zero experience at, and that seems a bit of a reach to me. He'll be the ultimate boom or bust kind of guy IMO, either he'll pick up the position and develop as he goes along or he'll never see the field. jmho.

 

[tidejuice]

Don't worry bout Blackmon, next update he'll be a 4* top 250 player IMO....
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