There is a lot of excitement building around the LSU Tigers that hasn't been felt in a long time. The transfer portal class was impressive, and Lane Kiffin's group should be poised to be a legitimate contender in the SEC.Building a successful program requires a balance of experienced transfer portal players and evaluating talent at the high school level. The expectation on Kiffin was that he was going to recruit elite high school players, and he's delivered on that promise.The Tigers have a talented 2027 recruiting class, and it reflects well in Craig Haubert's 2027 college football recruiting rankings on ESPN.Where LSU Lands on 2027 Recruiting RankingsA general view of an LSU Tigers helmet. | Denny Medley-Imagn ImagesThe SEC is well represented on the list as eight teams made their way on the list, led by Texas A&M. LSU comes in at No. 17 on the list, one spot ahead of Georgia. Ole Miss (22) and Kentucky (25) are the other programs trailing the Tigers.The 2027 class was highlighted by two five-star recruits in defensive end KJ Green and tight end Ahmad Hudson. Green was one of the most highly sought-after recruits in the country and is the second-ranked defensive end in the class.Hudson committed in May, and Haubert writes, "As a tight end, he offers a wide catch radius and can be a red zone weapon but also has experience working in line." Hudson is a multi-sport athlete in basketball and football and his 6'5" frame should be enticing when he comes to Baton Rouge.The Tigers also emphasized adding running backs to this class. They've added three running backs in Trey Martin, Tre Segarra, and Brennen Lacey. Each player brings a unique skill set and should make for an elite running back room in 2027. LSU was woeful at running the ball last year, and Kiffin is making a point to fix this issue.Part of what made Baton Rouge enticing was the recources Kiffin would have. LSU is one of the premier destinations in the country and this month of June has proven that the right coach can get the best players to come play.Obviously, the play on the field has to translate, but Kiffin can't have asked for a better start to his tenure with the Tigers. He's brought in star talent through the transfer portal but has also set the program up for the future, out-recruiting some of the best programs in the SEC. If not this year, LSU will be back to being an SEC contender in the near future.Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow