LSU Tigers: Tahaan Goodman
BATON ROUGE, La. -- At the end of his weekend trip to LSU, Tashawn Bower sent a Tweet that said "1 visit to go." Duke Riley stayed in Baton Rouge an extra day. Eddie Jackson sent out an Instagram photo with a white No. 2 LSU jersey on.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- With signing day looming, LSU is looking to sway some heavily recruited defensive talent this weekend as three players holding multiple SEC offers are scheduled to visit.
ESPN 150 defensive end Tashawn Bower (Somerville, N.J./Immaculata), an Auburn commit who has been taking visits to other schools, highlights a trio of uncommitted defensive players coming to Baton Rouge.
ESPN 150 defensive end Tashawn Bower (Somerville, N.J./Immaculata), an Auburn commit who has been taking visits to other schools, highlights a trio of uncommitted defensive players coming to Baton Rouge.
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RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. -- After originally planning to announce his commitment on signing day, Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) decided he couldn’t wait any longer. The nation’s No. 108 overall recruit and No. 9 safety knew he’d made up his mind, so after school on Wednesday, he announced publicly his decision to commit to UCLA.
The 6-foot-2, 184-pound safety finished his senior season with 59 tackles, two interceptions, one sack and nine rushing touchdowns. He is the No. 11 overall player in California and the state’s No. 2 safety.
With Goodman in the fold, the Bruins =hold verbal commitments from six ESPN 300 prospects, including two in the ESPN 150.
Good friend and fellow four-star safety Priest Willis (Tempe, Ariz./Marcos De Niza) is expected to announce his decision at 7 p.m. MT on Wednesday. The two have long said they will be a package deal, so more good news could be on the way for the Bruins.
BATON ROUGE, La. -- With national signing day two weeks away, LSU is close to the finish line, but the Tigers still have some big names they are after:
Team needs: LSU was decimated on the defensive line by graduation and early NFL draft entrees.
The Tigers will be without six of the nine defensive linemen who played the majority of the snaps, including three potential first-round NFL draft picks, led by lightning-quick speed-rushing end Barkevious Mingo.
Team needs: LSU was decimated on the defensive line by graduation and early NFL draft entrees.
The Tigers will be without six of the nine defensive linemen who played the majority of the snaps, including three potential first-round NFL draft picks, led by lightning-quick speed-rushing end Barkevious Mingo.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- All in all, it was a productive weekend on the recruiting front for LSU.
The Tigers addressed a major recruiting need by getting a commitment from Kevin Spears, a high school receiver with height (6-foot-3) and length, two things that have been lacking on LSU's roster.
The Tigers addressed a major recruiting need by getting a commitment from Kevin Spears, a high school receiver with height (6-foot-3) and length, two things that have been lacking on LSU's roster.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- ESPN 150 safety Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) was scheduled to visit LSU over the weekend, but a conflict in the schedule forced him to postpone it.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU has a couple of players on its wish list visiting this weekend and the Tigers coaching staff will have plenty of help in trying to get them to commit.
While ESPN 150 defensive back Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. HS) and fast-rising wide receiver Kevin Spears (New Orleans/Holy Cross HS) will get the attention this weekend, LSU will also have official visits from a slew of its already committed prospects.
LSU commits Kendell Beckwith, Jeryl Brazil, Rickey Jefferson, Tre'Davious White and Desean Smith are scheduled to come to be in Baton Rouge as well, and they might be joined by a few others. Surely part of their roles will be to convince Goodman and Spears, who both already sport LSU offers, to join them in Baton Rouge.
While ESPN 150 defensive back Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. HS) and fast-rising wide receiver Kevin Spears (New Orleans/Holy Cross HS) will get the attention this weekend, LSU will also have official visits from a slew of its already committed prospects.
LSU commits Kendell Beckwith, Jeryl Brazil, Rickey Jefferson, Tre'Davious White and Desean Smith are scheduled to come to be in Baton Rouge as well, and they might be joined by a few others. Surely part of their roles will be to convince Goodman and Spears, who both already sport LSU offers, to join them in Baton Rouge.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Tahaan Goodman doesn't need to flee his hometown to find a warm weather spot to play college football.
And there's no need to relocate from home to find a highly-competitive BCS conference.
So why is Goodman, the ESPN 150 safety from Racho Cucamonga, Calif., visiting LSU this weekend and seriously considering making the Tigers his future team?
And there's no need to relocate from home to find a highly-competitive BCS conference.
So why is Goodman, the ESPN 150 safety from Racho Cucamonga, Calif., visiting LSU this weekend and seriously considering making the Tigers his future team?
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU took a step forward in its recruiting process without adding a single player to its 2013 class over the weekend.
That's because LSU took a break from the 2013 grind by hosting its big, in-state junior day, "Boys in the Boot," a one-day gathering of the state's top 2014 prospect that serves as a primer to the recruiting process for the up-and-comers.
A couple of Tiger prospects brought the process to (perhaps) a conclusion by committing.
That's because LSU took a break from the 2013 grind by hosting its big, in-state junior day, "Boys in the Boot," a one-day gathering of the state's top 2014 prospect that serves as a primer to the recruiting process for the up-and-comers.
A couple of Tiger prospects brought the process to (perhaps) a conclusion by committing.
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BATON ROUGE -- GTN writer Gary Laney took your questions:
William (@TigernBham): Les is on the clock for finding a great offensive coordinator. Tigers have finished in the bottom 20 percent the last 3-4 years. The talent's too good for that!
William (@TigernBham): Les is on the clock for finding a great offensive coordinator. Tigers have finished in the bottom 20 percent the last 3-4 years. The talent's too good for that!
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- When LSU got a commitment from athlete Kendell Beckwith at the Under Armor All-American game last week, it looked like the Tigers had secured the top player in Louisiana.
Think again.
The new ESPN 150/300 and team rankings came out, and while the Tigers remained at the same spot, No. 8, in the team rankings, the player rankings had some significant shuffling.
Think again.
The new ESPN 150/300 and team rankings came out, and while the Tigers remained at the same spot, No. 8, in the team rankings, the player rankings had some significant shuffling.
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Willis highlights big Dec. 14 weekend 
December, 5, 2012
12/05/12
9:00
AM ET
By
Gary Laney | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- The middle of December could be big for LSU football recruiting.
LSU is scheduled to host a big recruiting weekend Dec. 14-16, and it's looking like some intriguing unsigned players will be there as well.
One player who confirmed a visit to LSU that weekend is safety Priest Willis. The stepfather of the ESPN 150 safety from Tempe (Ariz.) Marco de Niza confirmed the visit with ESPN.com's Erik McKinney on Tuesday.
LSU is scheduled to host a big recruiting weekend Dec. 14-16, and it's looking like some intriguing unsigned players will be there as well.
One player who confirmed a visit to LSU that weekend is safety Priest Willis. The stepfather of the ESPN 150 safety from Tempe (Ariz.) Marco de Niza confirmed the visit with ESPN.com's Erik McKinney on Tuesday.
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Four-star S Tahaan Goodman stays patient
November, 3, 2012
11/03/12
3:59
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By
Blair Angulo | ESPN.com
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. -- Four-star safety Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) walked off the field Friday night following a 31-6 victory against Alta Loma (Calif.) and immediately removed his helmet, revealing a black skull cap with the familiar blue UCLA script logo plastered on the front.
But as reporters approached, the nation’s No. 8-rated safety prospect quickly took off the cap -- sacrificing warmth in fear of misinterpretation -- and smiled. It was a classic "nothing to see here, folks" moment.
Goodman had planned to take an official visit to LSU for the Tigers’ highly anticipated battle against Alabama, but said he would instead reschedule. It pained him to postpone the trip, but being able to attend USC’s crucial game against Pac-12 Conference leader Oregon at the Coliseum was a consolation of sorts.
But as reporters approached, the nation’s No. 8-rated safety prospect quickly took off the cap -- sacrificing warmth in fear of misinterpretation -- and smiled. It was a classic "nothing to see here, folks" moment.
Goodman had planned to take an official visit to LSU for the Tigers’ highly anticipated battle against Alabama, but said he would instead reschedule. It pained him to postpone the trip, but being able to attend USC’s crucial game against Pac-12 Conference leader Oregon at the Coliseum was a consolation of sorts.
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) isn't rushing his recruitment.
The four-star safety is making sure that it doesn't become overwhelming. Instead, he's learning to like it.
"It is fun, I am enjoying it," he said Saturday at Champion Gridiron Kings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. "I am taking it in a little by little. Right now, at this point, I am checking more schools out, checking more areas out seeing what I like and what is different. I want to put some schools in certain brackets."
The four-star safety is making sure that it doesn't become overwhelming. Instead, he's learning to like it.
"It is fun, I am enjoying it," he said Saturday at Champion Gridiron Kings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. "I am taking it in a little by little. Right now, at this point, I am checking more schools out, checking more areas out seeing what I like and what is different. I want to put some schools in certain brackets."
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Cali CB Adoree' Jackson on the rise
July, 25, 2012
7/25/12
9:49
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By
Brandon P. Oliver | ESPN.com
Gardena (Calif.) Serra High is well known for putting out wide receivers, but one of the top players in Southern California is on the other side of the field for the Cavaliers.
Junior Adoree' Jackson emerged this spring as he was among the top defensive backs at the Los Angeles NFTC that included elite defensive backs like Max Redfield, Chris Hawkins, Tahaan Goodman, Tyler Foreman and Priest Willis. Onlookers and coaches alike agreed that Jackson was as good as any of them.
"Adoree is ferocious. He is real athletic, has good hips and is more physical than you would think. He has a bright future ahead of him. He will be at the top of his class and can go anywhere he wants," said Michael Fletcher, head defensive backs coach for the NFTC.
Junior Adoree' Jackson emerged this spring as he was among the top defensive backs at the Los Angeles NFTC that included elite defensive backs like Max Redfield, Chris Hawkins, Tahaan Goodman, Tyler Foreman and Priest Willis. Onlookers and coaches alike agreed that Jackson was as good as any of them.
"Adoree is ferocious. He is real athletic, has good hips and is more physical than you would think. He has a bright future ahead of him. He will be at the top of his class and can go anywhere he wants," said Michael Fletcher, head defensive backs coach for the NFTC.
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ABOUT GEAUX TIGER NATION
Gary Laney
Gary Laney joined ESPN.com in 2012 after spending a year and a half as online sports editor of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate. Before that, he covered LSU sports for the Advocate. He has also been the sports editor at the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise and covered McNeese State athletics for the Lake Charles (La.) American Press. Laney currently lives in Baton Rouge. Email him at glaneyespn@gmail.com