Urban Meyer reveals the one LSU super star who still haunts his dreams about missing out on the recruiting trail
When Urban Meyer was at Florida, few head coaches and programs recruited as well as the Gators were able to. Not only did he benefit from a piping hot recruiting field of talent, but Meyer’s tenacity, excellent staff, and cutthroat culture produced the perfect recipe to be a dominant force until the candle burned out. […]
When Urban Meyer was at Florida, few head coaches and programs recruited as well as the Gators were able to. Not only did he benefit from a piping hot recruiting field of talent, but Meyer’s tenacity, excellent staff, and cutthroat culture produced the perfect recipe to be a dominant force until the candle burned out. Even though Meyer was able to get most of the top names he really wanted, though, there were three players he failed to land.
One of them was eventual LSU star cornerback and future NFL Hall of Famer Patrick Peterson. The Floridian five-star prospect was a can’t-miss defender, ranking in the top 10 of recruiting services’ overall boards. And Meyer thought he had Peterson headed his way.
“It was a wrap,” Meyer said. “It was done. I had him. I went into his home, and he has got a beautiful family, his mom and dad. I remember sitting in his house, and I look over and on his laptop or personal computer there it’s Gator everything on the screen, and I looked at Doc Holliday. I have done that for so many years — 30 years in recruiting — that when you come across someone that has the ‘it’ — and I’m not just talking about the athleticism, because nothing against Patrick, but there’s a lot of great athletes out there.”
This weekend, Meyer expanded on his point again, saying that Peterson was his second-biggest recruiting loss. He joined Jabrill Peppers, who opted for Michigan over Ohio State, and CJ Spiller, who picked Clemson over Florida.
But Peterson had some fair points when it came to why he opted against going to Florida.
“You guys did have me, Coach,” Peterson told Meyer a few years ago. “I was locked in, as you know. We had great communication. You guys were coming to the house a bunch of times. I remember the game you guys came to — you and Doc Holliday — I ran a punt return back … and did the Gator Chomp and everything. What it came down to, it was my dad giving me more insight on college football as far as giving a more deeper look into the recruiting process and understanding where you would fall in that totem pole as far as coming in and playing.
“I had no problem coming in and competing with the Joe Hadens, … Janoris Jenkins. Me and Janoris were in the same class. But he said, ‘I think it would be a better opportunity for you to go to LSU, where it’s a clean slate, where there’s no DB’s there. All the guys are seniors, and you can go and step in and dominate right now.’ So when my dad gave me that advice, I was like, ‘You know what? You’re kind of right.’”
As a true freshman in 2008, Peterson appeared in all 13 games, starting the final four. He tallied 41 tackles, one interception, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble, showcasing early promise in LSU’s secondary.
His sophomore year in 2009 marked a breakout: starting all 13 games, he recorded 52 tackles (43 solo), two interceptions—including a touchdown return against Mississippi State—and 13 pass breakups. Peterson limited top receivers like Georgia’s A.J. Green and Alabama’s Julio Jones, earning Second-Team All-American honors from Sporting News, First-Team All-SEC by ESPN, and Second-Team All-SEC by the AP.
Peterson’s junior season in 2010 was legendary. Adding return duties, he amassed 42 tackles, four interceptions (one an 85-yard acrobatic return against UL-Monroe), and excelled as a specialist: 26 punt returns for 418 yards (16.1 average, two touchdowns, including an 87-yard score vs. North Carolina) and 32 kickoff returns for 932 yards (SEC record, 29.1 average). His 1,484 all-purpose yards ranked fourth in the SEC.
Notable games included 257 return yards against North Carolina (school record) and blocking a field goal while scoring on a punt return vs. West Virginia. He scored touchdowns via interception, two punt returns, and a blocked field goal return. Awards poured in: unanimous First-Team All-American, SEC Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Year, Chuck Bednarik Award (top defender), and Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back). Over 39 games (30 starts), Peterson totaled 135 tackles, seven interceptions (171 yards), and 22 pass breakups.
Selected fifth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2011 NFL Draft, Peterson enjoyed a 13-year pro career. He starred for the Cardinals (2011-2020), earning eight straight Pro Bowls (2011-2018), three First-Team All-Pro nods (2011, 2013, 2015), and NFL 2010s All-Decade Team honors.
Later stints with the Minnesota Vikings (2021-2022) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2023) added a ninth Pro Bowl in 2022. Career stats: 652 tackles, 36 interceptions, 122 pass deflections, and four punt return touchdowns. Released in 2024, he retired on April 11, 2025, signing a one-day contract with Arizona.