• By SCOTT HOTARD
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Feb 5, 2010

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En route to a consensus top-three signing class last year, LSU landed four Rivals.com five stars and 11 more prospects who garnered four stars.

The more stars a school gathers, the higher its recruiting ranking.

It’s that simple.

“None of the recruiting services have a component in their rankings that measure whether a particular school met their needs,” TigerBait.com editor Mike Scarborough said.

That brings us to the 2010 class. The recruiting gurus didn’t like it quite as much as last year’s. LSU’s coaches probably did.

On the heels of a recruiting effort that put LSU between first and third in the national rankings, the Tigers on Wednesday landed a class that finished anywhere from sixth to eighth.

But LSU’s most recent haul, while featuring only one Rivals.com five star, met just about every need.

Bracing for life without leading rushers Charles Scott, Keiland Williams and Trindon Holliday, LSU signed running backs Alfred Blue, Jakhari Gore and Spencer Ware.

Knowing they lose Brandon LaFell, Chris Mitchell and R.J. Jackson in the receiving corps, the Tigers brought in James Wright, Armand Williams, Jarrett Fobbs and Kadron Boone.

LSU also replenished its defense.

Linemen Charles Alexander, Rahim Alem and Al Woods are out. Wednesday additions Jordan Allen, J.C. Copeland, Kendrick Adams and Ego Ferguson are in.

No more Perry Riley, Jacob Catrera, Kelvin Sheppard and Harry Coleman at linebacker? Enter fresh faces in Justin Maclin, Luke Muncie and D.J. Welter.

Chad Jones left early for the NFL, joining 2009 seniors Chris Hawkins and Danny McCray as secondary defections. Eric Reid, Tharold Simon, Ronnie Vinson and Tyrann Mathieu came aboard.