LSU Coach Brian Kelly said the Tigers would be aggressive in signing players out of the transfer portal and he’s following through with that statement.
The Tigers recently signed four players who should be starters in 2025.
The first big signee out of the portal was Bauer Sharp, who led Oklahoma in receiving in 2024 with 42 catches for 324 yards and two touchdowns.
Sharp is six-foot-four and 243 pounds and looks like a good replacement for Mason Taylor at starting tight end.
Sharp is from Dothan, Alabama, and out of high school, he signed with Southeastern Louisiana as a quarterback. But Lions coach Frank Scelfo moved him to tight end, and he’s now in position to catch around 50 passes for LSU next season.
With Southeastern Louisiana transfer cornerback Zy Alexander running out of eligibility following two good seasons at LSU. The Tigers needed a cornerback with SEC experience.
They found one in Ja’Keem Jackson, who started the season as a starting cornerback for the Florida Gators. Jackson suffered a season-ending ankle injury in week two. For his career in Gainesville, he played 13 games with 11 tackles, four pass breakups, and a quarterback hurry.
Jackson was a four-star prospect out of Osceola High School in Florida. LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond recruited Jackson when he was on Billy Napier’s staff at Florida, so a natural connection made it possible for Jackson to become an LSU Tiger.
LSU also needed a veteran receiver to make up for the loss of Kyren Lacy (out of eligibility) and CJ Daniels (who is in the transfer portal). The Tigers have reportedly signed the speedy Barion Brown, who caught 122 passes for 1,528 yards and 11 touchdowns over three seasons at Kentucky. He’s also a dangerous return man and has set the record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns with five.
Defensive end is also a major position of need for the Tigers. 2024 starters Bradyn Swinson and Sai’vion Jones are headed for the NFL and once-promising pass rusher Da’Shawn Womack is in the transfer portal.
On Saturday night, LSU picked up a commitment from Jimari Butler. The six-foot-five, 240-pounder from Mobile, Alabama, only played one season of high school football. He’s been at Nebraska since 2000 and has one year of eligibility left.
Butler finally became a full-time starter this season and had 22 tackles and two sacks. He had 5.5 sacks in 2023.
LSU is just getting started with the transfer portal. I expect them to sign around a dozen players before it’s all done.