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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU coach Les Miles is looking to a 2015 recruiting class filled mostly by Louisiana players to help the Tigers bounce back from their worst season in six years.
Out of the total class of 25 announced Wednesday, 16 are instate recruits.
Four of LSU's signees are rated among the best in the country: cornerback Kevin Toliver, wide receiver Tyron Johnson, offensive lineman Maea Teuhema and running back Derrius Guice.
"I think this class fits our needs," Miles said. "You don't have to have a highly ranked class, but it has to fit your need. Now, we have to see how good it will be. I do think that this class will help us compete for championships and the college playoffs."
Johnson, who played at Warren Easton High School in New Orleans, has been Louisiana's most coveted recruit.
For the first time since Miles' tenure at LSU began in 2005, he has signed the top player in the state for two straight seasons. Last February, the Tigers signed Fournette out of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. Fournette rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman.
"We are going to give the best players in the state the opportunity to play in front of family and friends," Miles said.
Guice joins a squad that needs immediate help at running back. There are only two returning scholarship running backs on the roster - tailbacks Leonard Fournette and Darrel Williams. There are no returning scholarship fullbacks — a position of importance in a Miles' offense.
LSU signed three tailbacks: Guice, Nick Brossette and Lanard Fournette, who is Leonard Fournette's brother. Guice rushed for 1,341 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior at Catholic High School in Baton Rouge. Brossette ran for more than 8,000 yards in a five-year career at University Lab School, which is located on the LSU campus. Lanard Fournette — who at 5-10, 185, is three inches shorter and 45 pounds lighter than his brother.
The Tigers also picked up a fullback in David Ducre from Lakeshore High School in Mandeville (La.). Ducre, who has already enrolled at LSU, ran for nearly 1,600 yards as a senior.
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LSU
Top 25 class: Yes
Best in class: Kevin Toliver, DB, Jacksonville, Fla.
Best of the rest: Tyron Johnson, WR, New Orleans
Late addition: Toby Weathersby, OL, Houston
One that got away: Daylon Charlot, WR, Patterson, La. (signed with Alabama)
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