When a major program loses a key recruit, Rivals.com takes a look at how big of a blow it is to the respective school, analyzing it from a local and national level. To quantify the “sting” of each decommitment, we assign a score from 1-10, with one being no big deal and 10 being a catastrophic hit.
*****
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
*****
THE SITUATION
Jack Bech visited Vanderbilt in February before the coronavirus shutdown. At the time, it was his only SEC offer. By late March, he was committed to the Commodores and it was a major recruiting victory for coach Derek Mason and his staff to land the then-three-star prospect.
But things have changed.
The four-star tight end from Lafayette (La.) St. Thomas More backed off his commitment to Vanderbilt in recent days as his senior season has gone extraordinarily well and his recruitment has taken off like a rocket ship.
Over the last few weeks, Bech has landed offers from Texas, TCU, Mississippi State and LSU.
The one from the Tigers might be the most important as LSU coach Ed Orgeron has pitched to Bech, who has set numerous receiving records at St. Thomas More, the idea of staying in-state and playing a similar role to Arik Gilbert, as a flex tight end who can also stretch the field.
There’s something else to watch out for with LSU since Bech’s St. Thomas More teammate, 2022 four-star quarterback Walker Howard, is already committed to the Tigers. That connection right there might be enough to haul Bech into LSU’s 2021 recruiting class.
LOCAL REACTION
“This one is a tough blow for Vanderbilt and its recruiting class as the Commodores are looking for playmaking receivers that can stretch the field and Bech fits that mold perfectly. Bech is a guy the Commodores' coaching staff got in on early and offered in early February. They were able to get him on campus before COVID put a halt to travel and that helped secure his commitment in March.
"He recently got elevated to four-star status by Rivals and once Bech's senior season started and he began putting up eye-popping stats, it was only a matter of time before other schools would come calling. It appears the offer from LSU was the game-changer here as Bech's uncle played for the Tigers in the early 2000s and his quarterback and best friend is currently committed to LSU in the 2022 class.” - Sean Williams, VandySports.com
Sting Factor: 10
NATIONAL REACTION
“Vanderbilt doesn’t land many four-stars and this is a talented kid who can play wide receiver or tight end and was a dominant player in the state of Louisiana. For LSU to come in and offer the legacy and essentially lead to his decommitment speaks to the pecking order in the SEC and is a huge loss for the Commodores.” — Mike Farrell, National Recruiting Director, Rivals.com
Sting Factor: 9
