LSU has brought in several prospects from south Florida over the past few years, and this year should be no different. One players that the Tigers have targeted for the 2009 class is Gulliver Prep linebacker Frankie Telfort.

The speedy linebacker took a visit to LSU for the Alabama game and came away impressed with what the Tigers had to offer.

"It was a great atmosphere," Telfort said. "I really enjoyed it. The stadium was loud and the fans were crazy. I had a really good time."

Many recruits talk about choosing a school based on academics, but rarely follow through. Telfort, though, is serious about his schooling, and narrowed his list of colleges down based on pharmacy and pre-med programs.

"I'm looking for a school that either has a pharmacy school on campus or near it," he said. "I would like to study pre-med and eventually go to pharmacy school, so that is important to me."

What are the schools that Telfort is keying on?

"LSU, Stanford, Southern Cal, University of Florida, and Duke," Telfort said.

Telfort is an UnderArmour All-American, and he is ranked as the No. 5 linebacker and No. 40 player overall in the country according to ESPN's Scouts Inc. Although Telfort might be considered undersized to play linebacker in college, as he is listed at 5-foot-11 and 197-pounds, his speed and athleticism more than make up for his lack

of height.

"I'm going to play will (weakside) linebacker in college," Telfort said.

Gulliver Prep begins its playoff run Friday night, and Telfort will put most of his recruitment on hold. He won't take any visits during the playoffs, and the only other official visit he has scheduled is to Stanford the weekend of Jan. 10.

ESPNU Evaluation

Telfort flashes attributes similar to those shown by the elite linebackers who emerged from South Florida in 2008. He lacks great size, but has a rangy, tapered body and should be able to add bulk without losing much quickness. Generates great initial speed and Short-area burst. Plays bigger than his measurables suggest, showing deceptive power and force at the point of attack. He's tough and has a great nose for the ball. Has fast-twitch athleticism and gets quick jumps. Excels at attacking downhill, but shows good change-of-direction quickness and fluidity sifting through traffic. Flashes good range and sideline-to-sideline speed. Pursues at proper angles and avoids trash effectively. Can anticipate the snap, and his rare closing burst and relentlessness make him an excellent blitzer. Good ball and awareness skills in coverage. He's explosive in space and often delivers jaw-dropping hits, but he needs to become a more consistent tackler. Sometimes struggles to wrap his head around the ball carrier and bring his hips through tackles. His lack of size is evident when he tries to tackle bigger backs or shed uncovered linemen on cutoff blocks. Appears more quick than fast. His sideline range could be tested at the next level. Telfort projects best as a weakside linebacker, a position where he can make plays in space and avoid stacking tight ends and regularly disengaging blockers. His outstanding special teams potential only enhances his upside.