For LSU, Wednesday was about the freshman. But Friday? That was all about the transfers.
And Brian Kelly's Tigers added several intriguing names, in multiple cases mining in-state talent just as he was able to successfully do a season ago en route to an unexpected SEC West title.
LSU announced the addition of 7 transfers Friday morning, two days after the 25-man signing class -- ranked No. 6 in the nation per 247Sports -- was made official. That means Year 2 under Brian Kelly will see another impressive turnover, even with key players like young star LB Harold Perkins, WR Kayshon Boutte and QB Jayden Daniels returning to Baton Rouge for another go at a tile.
Here are those seven names that will be added to the roster for the upcoming season:
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ZY ALEXANDER, CB
- Year: junior
- Transfer from: Southeastern Louisiana
- Hometown: Loreauville, Louisiana
- Measurables: 6-3, 185 pounds
- Notes: Alexander was a 3-year starter for the Lions and helped lead Southeastern to back-to-back FCS playoff appearances. 2021 and 2022 first team All-Southland. Appeared in 31 games and logged 97 tackles, 12 PBUs and 9 interceptions.
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AARON ANDERSON, WR
- Year: redshirt freshman
- Transfer from: Alabama
- Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Measurables: 5-9, 184 pounds
- Notes: Appeared in one game for Alabama before redshirting. Was a 5-star WR and the top-rated prep player in Louisiana for the 2022 class. Finished with 20 return TDs and over 6,000 yards at Edna Karr in New Orleans.
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DENVER HARRIS, CB
- Year: sophomore
- Transfer from: Texas A&M
- Hometown: Houston, Texas
- b: 6-1, 175 pounds
- Notes: One of the top DB recruits in the nation for 2022. Appeared in five games as a true freshman, logging 14 tackles and 3 PBUs.
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JORDAN JEFFERSON, DT
- Year: senior
- Transfer from: West Virginia
- Hometown: Navarre, Florida
- Measurables: 6-4, 305 pounds
- Notes: Appeared in 42 games for the Mountaineers, including 17 starts at nose tackle, logging 54 tackles, 14.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks. Started all 12 games for West Virginia in 2022.
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JALEN LEE, DT
- Year: junior
- Transfer from: Florida
- Hometown: Watson, Louisiana
- Measurables: 6-2, 299 pounds
- Notes: Appeared in 25 games for the Gators over three season, a majority of which came at the nose tackle position, logging 19 tackles, 3.0 TFLs and 1 sack.
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PARIS SHAND, DT
- Year: junior
- Transfer from: Arizona
- Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Measurables: 6-5, 290 pounds
- Notes: Appeared in 24 games for the Sun Devils over 3 seasons, including 10 starts, while logging 41 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and 5 sacks. Is a former teammate of current LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who played his first three seasons for Arizona State.
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BRADYN SWINSON, LB
- Year: junior
- Transfer from: Oregon
- Hometown: Douglasville, Georgia
- Measurables: 6-4, 233 pounds
- Notes: Appeared in 30 games for the Ducks over three seasons, registering 1 start, while accounting for 35 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and 3 sacks. Named Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in the Ducks' win over Ohio State in 2021.
Kelly said earlier in the week that his goal with the transfer portal was to be strategic. The program would be built with freshman brought in with traditional recruiting, and the transfer portal used to solidify positions with depth questions. That can be seen with the addition of three defensive tackles and a pair of defensive backs with prototypical size for the position.
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“It’s important that when you add transfers to your roster, they have the traits we are looking for as we continue our mission to Graduate Champions," Kelly said in a news release. "Along with the outstanding group of freshmen we signed on Wednesday, we feel with this group of young men will significantly improve our roster for the present and the future of LSU football.”
Kelly also continued to mine players from within the Southeastern Conference footprint, something he noted as well about his first true signing class as the Tigers' head coach. Of the seven transfers, three come from SEC programs, including one each from Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M.
There will be a large number of early enrollees for the Tigers, but Kelly said he doesn't expect to incorporate any of the 32 incoming names into bowl practices as LSU prepares to face Purdue in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2.