There’s a common thread among all great LSU football teams, and that is difference makers at defensive tackle.
The 2003 national champions had Kyle Williams and Chad Lavalais. In 2007, Glen Dorsey was the best interior defensive player in the country as he won the Lombardi Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Outland Trophy and the Lott Award. He was also named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
The 2011 LSU SEC Championship team had Michael Brockers, Ego Ferguson and Bennie Logan.
The 2019 national champs had Rashard Lawrence and Breiden Fehoko.
If the 2025 squad is going to make a run at a national championship, they need to have strong defensive tackles.
Former five-star prospect and sophomore Dominick McKinley appears ready to fill that role after registering three sacks in ten games. The former Acadiana star stands at 6-6, 308 pounds and Coach Brian Kelly said he can squat double his body weight.
“We ran out of weights for him to max squat, it was 650 pounds, max squat, I just throw that out to you as how powerful he is,” Kelly said. “He’s such a great kid, he’s so grounded, he wants to get better every single day.”
McKinley and fellow sophomore Ahmad Breaux could be LSU’s starting defensive tackles against Clemson.
When you sign a five-star prospect out of your home state, you expect that kid to become a star and LSU is hoping that McKinley can be that presence in the interior of the defensive line.
Breaux could also have a big season. He was named as LSU’s Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2024. At Ruston High School, he was an edge player, but because of injuries and necessity, he played defensive tackle and had 17 tackles. Breaux has put on nearly 40 pounds since arriving on LSU’s campus in January 2024.
Texas transfer Sydir Mitchell is an extremely large man that has yet to put it together on the collegiate level.
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South Florida transfer Bernard Gooden is another name to keep an eye on. He had 35 tackles and ten tackles for a loss last season for USF.
Veteran Jacobian Guillory, back for his sixth season, will also rotate in at defensive tackle.