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247Sports

LSU got a late afternoon boost to its 2021 class on National Signing Day, with five-star defensive tackle Maason Smith announcing his commitment to the Tigers. Smith made the news official on Wednesday, giving LSU a huge recruiting win to secure a commitment from the No. 1 ranked player in the state of Louisiana. 

"Definitely with the defense I feel I can go in as a true freshman and make a big impact on the defense, especially on the defensive line," Smith told 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong. "I looked at all the recruiting classes of the schools on my final list and LSU was the only one uncommitted at defensive tackle. That also helped me knowing they believed in me and didn't try to take a chance on anyone else. That showed me I'm the only one they wanted and need."

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Smith is the No. 18 overall prospect according to the 247Sports composite, ranking as the No. 2 defensive tackle in the class. This was a high-profile recruitment with Alabama and Georgia involved, all looking to boost their defensive line depth with the addition of the 6-foot-5, 316-pounder. 247Sports' Gabe Brooks wrote that Smith has "impressive size that is definitely college ready" in his evaluation, which drew a comparison to former Florida State and current Chicago Bears defensive tackle Eddie Goldman. 

"Tall and broad, [Smith is] an imposing figure on the defensive front," Brooks wrote last month. "Size and functional athleticism allow for position- and scheme-versatile roles. Mass manifests in impressive functional strength that fuels disengaging ability." 

LSU has endured its fair share of negative headlines this fall from players opting out in the middle of the season to self-imposing a bowl ban for 2020 in response to NCAA violations. But all the while, Ed Orgeron and his staff have been at work securing the program's future with a top-five recruiting class. The best players in Louisiana will always be considered key targets for LSU, but when it's a defensive lineman from Orgeron's part of southern Louisiana, anything but a commitment to the Tigers would be viewed as unexpected.