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LSU Tigers: antonio conner

SEC recruiting primer

February, 6, 2013
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ESPN RecruitingNation has signing day covered. Follow ESPNU’s coverage, chat with analysts and get breaking news on our Signing Day Live page beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET through 7 p.m. ET. For more on what to expect on signing day, check out the SEC conference breakdown Insider.

Bold Prediction for the SEC:

Ole Miss' class will eventually be ranked in the top five nationally with the addition of No. 1 overall prospect Robert Nkemdiche from Loganville (Ga.) Grayson and possibly ESPN 150 prospects Chris Jones from Houston (Miss.) High and Antonio Conner from Batesville (Miss.) South Panola.

SEC East

Florida
Biggest need: Florida wants immediate help at defensive tackle. Jarran Reed from Scooba (Miss.) East should be able to provide that if he decides to sign with the Gators on national signing day.
Biggest recruit: The Gators have two five-star commitments: cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III from Tampa (Fla.) Wharton and running back Kelvin Taylor from Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades. No other school in the country can say that.

Georgia
Biggest need: The Bulldogs would like to pick up another top offensive lineman. They looked destined to land Laremy Tunsil from Lake City (Fla.), but the competition has heated up for him lately.
Biggest recruit: With 12 ESPN 300 commitments, Georgia has plenty of star power. However, it's impossible to overvalue the commitment of Brice Ramsey from Kingsland (Ga.) Camden, a quarterback the Bulldogs can build around.

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Antonio Conner is willing to follow Melvin Smith to Auburn -- at least for an official visit.

Conner said he'll take a visit to see the Tigers on Jan. 18. Before Smith left Mississippi State, Conner had expressed no interest in Auburn. That changed when Smith accepted a position on Gus Malzahn's new coaching staff. Smith was Conner's primary recruiter for the Bulldogs. Coaches from Auburn were in Orlando on Friday to visit with Conner after the Under Armour All-America Game.

It's unclear which school Conner will drop from his NCAA-allowed five official visit list as his travel continues to come into focus. Last week, Conner said he will take his five official visits to Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU and Georgia. That plan has changed. Conner said he will not visit LSU and Georgia.

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Hackenberg, Olsen earn UA Game starts

January, 3, 2013
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Black Team offense

Quarterback: Christian Hackenberg (Penn State)

Running back: Alvin Kamara

Receiver: Alvin Bailey (Florida), Robert Foster (Alabama), Damore'ea Stringfellow (Washington)

Tight end: O.J. Howard (Alabama)

Offensive tackle: Darius James (Texas), Denver Kirkland

Offensive guard: Grant Hill (Alabama), Joas Aguilar (Texas A&M)

Center: Hunter Bivin (Notre Dame)

Captains: Kelvin Taylor, Hunter Bivin, Robert Nkemdiche, Ben Boulware

Black Team defense

Defensive end: Robert Nkemdiche, Elijah Daniel

Defensive tackle: Greg Gilgmore (LSU), Kennedy Tulimasealii (Hawaii)

Inside linebacker: Ben Boulware (Clemson)

Outside linebacker: Alex Anzalone (Notre Dame), Matthew Thomas

Safety: Keanu Neal (Florida), Leon McQuay III

Cornerback: Vernon Hargreaves III (Florida), Tarean Folston (Notre Dame)

Black Team special teams

Long snapper: Tyler Kluver (Iowa)

Kicker/punter: Sean Covington (UCLA)

White Team offense

Quarterback: Kevin Olsen (Miami)

Running back: Keith Ford (Oklahoma)

Receiver: Laquon Treadwell, Ryan Green (Florida State), Jalin Marshall (Ohio State)

Tight end: Hunter Henry (Arkansas)

Offensive tackle: Derwin Gray (Maryland), Dorian Johnson (Pittsburgh)

Offensive guard: Patrick Kugler (Michigan), David Dawson (Michigan)

Center: Scott Quessenberry (UCLA)

White Team defense

Defensive end: Carl Lawson (Auburn), Joey Bosa (Ohio State)

Defensive tackle: Henry Poggi (Michigan), Kelsey Griffin (South Carolina)

Inside linebacker: Reuben Foster, Yannick Ngakoue

Outside linebacker: Trey Johnson

Safety: Max Redfield, Antonio Conner

Cornerback: Gareon Conley (Ohio State), Shaq Wiggins (Georgia)

White Team special teams

Long snapper: Brendan Turelli

Kicker: Ryan Santoso (Minnesota)

Punter: Shane Tripucka

Captains: Ryan Green, Hunter Henry, Patrick Kugler, Reuben Foster
ESPN 150 safety Antonio Conner will announce his decision Feb. 3, according to a post on his Facebook page.

The four-star prospect from Batesville (Miss.) South Panola told ESPN this week he was considering announcing his decision Friday, during events leading up to the Under Armour All-America Game. That apparently won't happen know.

Conner told ESPN that Alabama and Ole Miss were standing out among the other schools recruiting him. However, Conner said he plans to take all five of his official visits. He has also expressed interest in Mississippi State and LSU.

Conner is the highest-rated prospect in Mississippi. He is the No. 2 safety in the country and No. 21 overall prospect.

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After bowl, LSU shifts to recruiting

January, 1, 2013
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So, the season's over.

LSU finished playing football before the year even ended with Monday's last-second, 25-24 loss to Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, a downer of an ending to a 10-3 season.

[+] Enlarge
Greg Gilmore
Scott Drucker/IntersportLSU fans will get an early look at DL commit Greg Gilmore at the Under Armour All-America Game.
The most disappointing part? It was over before January. The eighth-ranked Tigers were the only team in the BCS top 12 to play before New Year's Day, which is usually the date where the serious bowl games begin. That LSU was left out of the New Year's Day games seemed to put a damper on the whole postseason, a feeling amplified by the result of the game.

Despite that, there's plenty to look forward to in the next five-plus weeks.

It is prime recruiting season, after all.

There will be all-star games, visitation weekends and even an early jump on 2014 recruiting for LSU and its prospects, all capped by national signing day Feb. 6.

Here's what's on the agenda and what to watch from an LSU perspective:

Friday

Under Armor All-America Game: LSU targets Maquedius Bain and Kendell Beckwith will announce their commitments at the game. Targets Robert Nkemdiche, Priest Willis, Josh McNeil, Antonio Conner, Artie Burns and Tim Williams are also playing in the game. Also playing are LSU commits Jeryl Brazil, Greg Gilmore and Ethan Pocic are also playing.

Semper Fidelis All-American Game: LSU commits Jeremy Cutrer and Christian LaCouture will play in this game.

Saturday

U.S. Army All-American Bowl: LSU fans will be able to take a glimpse at the Tigers' offensive future with LSU commits Hayden Rettig (quarterback), Desean Smith (tight end), John Diarse (wide receiver) and Josh Boutte (offensive line) all on the same team. LSU commits Tre'Davious White and Frank Herron are also in the game on defense.

Jan. 12

Boys from the Boot Day: Top 2014 players from Louisiana will be invited for unofficial visits designed to get them familiar with the recruiting process and to jump-start their relationships with LSU coaches.

That will be a huge day for LSU, considering Louisiana, perhaps the nation's most prospect-laden state on a per-capita basis, looks particularly strong in 2014. Among the players who might attend are running back Leonard Fournette, Cameron Robinson, Gerald Willis, Speedy Noil, Trey Quinn and several others.

Jan. 14

Spring semester begins: Early enrollees will begin classes, letting us know what players will get a jump on their classmates with spring practice.

Jan. 19-21, 26-28

Visit weekends: Players who haven't visited yet can set up visits on these weekends.

Feb. 6

National signing day: The culmination of the recruiting season.

Four-star Conner plans decision, visits 

December, 30, 2012
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- ESPN 150 safety Antonio Conner (Batesville, Miss./South Panola) is set to make his decision at the Under Armour All-America Game on Friday. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete will choose between Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU and Georgia.

Despite making a decision, Conner plans to take all five official visits.

"I'm going to be taking some after this game," Conner said Sunday during Under Armour All-America Game registration at Disney's Yacht Club Resort. "I've got a lot of them to take, but I am going to take them to Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU and Georgia. I'm going to start on the 11th with Alabama, then take the rest."

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ESPN 150 S Conner talks Ole Miss visit 

November, 25, 2012
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Antonio Conner saw the improvement at Ole Miss when he visited the Oxford campus this weekend. The state's top prospect has been impressed.

The Rebels beat Mississippi State 41-24 to become bowl eligible at 6-6 and 3-5 in the SEC on Saturday. The also have one of the top recruiting classes in the nation under first-year coach Hugh Freeze.

Currently, the Rebels' 2013 class ranks 21st in the nation. It could get much better.

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ESPN 150 prospect Conner talks visits 

November, 7, 2012
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Antonio Conner is focused on his team and academics. That's been evident by his unwillingness to take official visits during his senior season. Such trips take 48 hours and can cause a prospect to miss school or practice.

That's not doable for the No. 21 overall prospect in the nation. He's focused on bringing a title to Batesville (Miss.) South Panola. Yet when the nation's second-best safety has a chance to visit a school on a Saturday, he's willing to hit the road.

Alabama and Mississippi State have been recent beneficiaries of such travel. Georgia might soon be as well.

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