11 LSU Tigers on preseason All-SEC teams
If the preseason All-SEC teams are any indication of how good LSU will be in 2023, the Tigers are looking stout.
LSU landed six players (Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers, Will Campbell, Mekhi Wingo, Maason Smith and Harold Perkins) on the First Team, three players (Mason Taylor, Nathan Dibert, Slade Roy) on the Second Team and two players (Emery Jones and Major Burns) on the Third Team.
LSU is coming off of a 10-4 season in 2022 in which the Tigers were champions of the SEC West and winners of the Citrus Bowl over Purdue.
The expectations are high for Brian Kelly in his second season after Jay Johnson and Kim Mulkey won national titles in their second seasons.
Jayden Daniels - First Team
Daniels went from being the possible starting quarterback to being one of the favorites to win the Heisman in one year. If Daniels can stay healthy in 2023, the Tigers offense should be really good.
Malik Nabers - First Team
Nabers went into last season not projected as the No. 1 wide receiver on the roster, but that is how it ended. Nabers led LSU with 72 receptions for 1,017 yards and three touchdowns.
Will Campbell - First Team
Campbell was one of Kelly’s prized offensive tackle recruits in his first LSU recruiting class. Campbell stepped onto campus and worked his way into the starting role and never looked back.
Mekhi Wingo - First Team
Wingo transferred to LSU from Missouri after the 2021 season, and he made his presence known. Wingo started 13 out of the 14 games he played in as he totaled 47 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble.
Maason Smith - First Team
Most of you know the story of how Smith suffered a season-ending injury during the first game of the season last fall. Smith was projected to be one of the Tigers’ biggest playmakers before his injury last fall. Now he’s back to 100% to get the 2023 season started.
Harold Perkins - First Team
Perkins shocked the world as he became one of the best linebackers in the country during his freshman season. It’s rare that opposing coaches talk about having to game plan for a freshman linebacker, but Perkins made other schools do that every week.
Mason Taylor - Second Team
Taylor was another very impactful freshman for the Tigers last fall. He was the hero in the overtime win against Alabama as he caught the two-point conversion pass to win the game. Kelly loves his tight ends, and Taylor is a textbook tight end.
Slade Roy - Second Team
Roy was another impact transfer for LSU. He transferred in from East Carolina and started as a deep snapper for the Tigers. He played in all 14 games last fall.
Nathan Dibert - Second Team
Dibert was a kickoff specialist as a freshman at LSU. He played in 11 games last fall as he took over kickoff duties in Week 4 against New Mexico and held that job down the rest of the season.
Emery Jones - Third Team
Jones was the other prized freshman tackle in Brian Kelly’s first recruiting class at LSU. Jones started 12 out of the 14 games he played last fall. He was named a True Freshman All-American by ESPN in 2022.
Major Burns - Third Team
Burns started the first three games in 2022 before an injury knocked him out for the next five games. Overall, he played in nine games as he totaled 38 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss.
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