Lane Kiffin did as expected after being hired, bringing in the nation’s top transfer portal class. The 40-player haul offers both quantity and quality.
There are also 18 incoming freshmen.
Combining transfer portal and recruiting classes was tough. But the real challenge is building this talent into a national championship contender.
Here are the five big storylines headed into spring.
Offensive line
The O-line was the weakest part of the team last season, and Lane Kiffin and his coaching staff addressed it by adding eight new offensive linemen through the transfer portal.
Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton is the headliner as he’s considered a five-star addition from Colorado. Pro Football Focus gave Seaton a blocking grade of 91.4, the highest in the nation.
Fifth-year senior Aliou Bah is expected to start at one of the guard spots after starting 24 straight games for Maryland.
Weston Davis will have a chance to start at right tackle again, but he’ll have to beat out the likes of Darrin Strey from Kentucky, Sean Thompkins from Baylor, and Ja’Quan Sprinkle from North Carolina Central.
Braelin Moore will start at center, and Devin Harper has a good shot at starting at left guard. He’s a transfer from Ole Miss, who was a standout high school player at Calvary Baptist in Shreveport.
Who will be the top receivers?
LSU returns only one player who caught a pass last season in a Tigers uniform, and that’s Philip Wright. Wright had one grab for two yards.
LSU signed nine receivers in the transfer portal. Six-foot-three, 205-pounder Jackson Harris was the first player to commit to Kiffin and the Tigers out of the transfer portal. An intriguing prospect, who led the Mountain West with 12 touchdown catches and averaged nearly 20 yards a catch.
Winston Watkins has the biggest advantage over the other receivers after catching 26 passes for 373 yards and a touchdown for the Ole Miss Rebels last season.
Which freshman can make an early impact?
My money is on six-foot-three, 339-pound defensive tackle Richard Anderson as the freshman who can make the biggest impact right away. Anderson has dominated the last two seasons at Edna Karr and should push for playing time right away. The Warrick Dunn award winner had 53 tackles, 10 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and an interception for a touchdown for the Cougars.
Can LSU develop a running game?
It’s been several years since LSU had a running game that opposing defenses feared. I’m talking about a traditional running game, not one where Jayden Daniels can burn you with his legs.
Kiffin’s offenses at Ole Miss averaged 204 yards a game. Caden Durham and Harlem Berry have the potential to be one of the best running back tandems in all of college football.
Can Husan Longstreet make a first impression?
Arizona State Sam Leavitt will be limited during fall camp as he recovers from a foot injury, which gives five-star signal caller Husan Longstreet a chance to impress the coaching staff. The former USC quarterback was one of the top high school QBs in the country. He has an excellent opportunity to get a bunch of snaps with the first team during team drills, an experience that will only benefit his development.
