GeauxTuscaloosa Gets Lucky: Chris Garrett

I assure you I had no inside information. I just read something on a message board and concluded it meant something before reporting it here. It turns out, Chris Garrett, the 6'4" 220# quarterback from Tupelo, Mississippi committed to LSU yesterday after my post in which I pointed out his comments as showing serious interest in LSU.

I certainly didn't know he was committing that day. As far as I know, I've never laid eyes on Mr. Garrett nor had a conversation with him. I'm not a reporter. I'm just an analyst. But I think it's illustrative of the point I made, which is that if you watch it closely enough, you can eventually figure out that certain kids aren't serious about their interest and certain kids are.

Anyway, about Chris Garrett. He's our second quarterback recruit of the 2009 class, as Russell Shepard committed earlier this month. Where Shepard is a dynamic athlete, Garrett is more of a traditional quarterback. You have to love his size at 6'4" and 220 pounds. He's a pure drop-back passer, where Shepard is a dangerous runner. Garrett may not be a John Elway with his legs (remember, he was a tremendous runner early in his NFL career), but he can move out of the pocket a little if he needs to. He is not in the Rivals250 at this point, but he projects to probably be a 4-star player, though he may be a high-3-star. It doesn't matter. He's a guy that MSU, LSU, and other schools all wanted. He's a solid kid.

He's a little reminiscent of a Jamarcus Russell, in that he is a big strong-armed kid who nonetheless cannot be described as Kosarian in his mobility.

About that strong arm. OK, he's no Jamarcus Russell in the arm, but when you watch his videos you notice he can hit the hardest throw in football: the deep out pattern. If a kid can throw a 20-yard out-pattern accurately and get it there before the defensive back can get to it, the kid's arm is not an issue. Chris Garrett does that.

The other good thing about him is he projects to be another mid-term qualifier, which means he should be at LSU in time to participate in 2009 Spring Practice, along with Russell Shepard and Drayton Calhoun. This will help his progression and development, and give other schools a lesser chance to get him to change his commitment.

This gives us two very different quarterbacks in this class. We will have to see how they fit together. Personally, I hope that Crowton isn't planning to go to a permanent 2-quarterback system where quarterbacks split time 50-50. I don't think that's happening though. I think he's just trying to give himself a variety of weapons to choose from.

This is also the 5th state LSU has gotten a commitment from so far for 2009. We have eight current commitments. 3 are from Louisiana, 2 are from Texas, and 1 each from Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi. LSU's regional reach remains strong, while other schools continue to be unable to get recruits out of Louisiana if LSU wants them. That is a tremendously strong position to be in.

We may not be done in Mississippi. Garrett has a teammate that LSU is reportedly very interested in. Chad Bumphis is listed as an "Athlete", meaning he is a DB/WR. He is #8 on the Garrett videos and may be the top recruit in the state of Mississippi this year. Having his high school QB as a commitment can't hurt in getting Bumphis.