Reports: Tulane quarterback Tanner Lee to visit LSU

Interesting piece of news that broke yesterday with the report that Tulane sophomore quarterback Tanner Lee will be on what promises to be a loaded official visitors list for the weekend (more on that later in the week).

Lee, a 6-4, 220-pound New Orleans native, started 19 games the last two seasons for Tulane, completing 53 percent of passes with 23 touchdowns against 21 interceptions.

LSU's staff have not, per reports, offered Lee a scholarship yet. He's a third-year sophomore and not on pace to graduate this spring, so he would have to sit out a year unless the NCAA were to grant him a hardship waiver. Lee has been granted his release by new Tulane head coach Willie Fritz, who wants to bring more of an option-style attack to the program.

Talking to a few sources I trust, Lee showed flashes of talent early on, but regressed once quarterbacks coach Mike Neu left the Tulane program after the '14 season, and was caught up in a pretty toxic situation with Curtis Johnson's staff. In terms of LSU, he doesn't really take the place of a high school quarterback in this class, which is still badly needed for the future, but he could provide a little more depth for the next year or two, a la Danny Etling currently, or Rob Bolden. Ultimately, having another quarterback with real game experience around is never a bad thing. Especially if Anthony Jennings were to transfer somewhere looking to start his senior season.

But make no mistake, this kid isn't coming in and competing with Brandon Harris for a starting job in 2016, nor does he take the place of another QB in this recruiting class. LSU must sign a high-school quarterback in this class, otherwise the only passers left on the roster once Harris is gone has left will be Justin McMillian and a Class of 2017 player like Lowell Narcisse. That will put the staff right back in the position of having to either play a younger guy or find ANOTHER transfer player.