Anonymous coaches name LSU a transfer portal winner so far
There’s no denying the transfer portal has been key to Brian Kelly’s strategy at LSU.
The Tigers coach inherited a depleted roster when he took the job just over a year ago, and a 10-win, SEC West championship season in 2022 would not have been possible were it not for the impactful additions through the portal. With many of those transfers being veterans who are now moving on, LSU had to hit the portal again this offseason, albeit in a less desperate situation.
Once again, the transfer portal has treated Kelly well. He’s brought in a group of immediate impact players at positions of need, especially at linebacker and in the secondary, and LSU’s transfer class ranks as the best in college football, per 247Sports.
Sometimes industry folks can overrate or underrate certain players, so it can be best to hear things directly from the mouths of those who are more directly involved. ESPN discussed which teams are winning the portal so far with several anonymous coaches, and LSU unsurprisingly came up. However, one SEC coordinator did question how sustainable Kelly’s roster strategy is.
LSU always will be one of the best-positioned programs for top high school players, especially from within the state. But the team had roster issues during its recent coaching transition, and it hit the portal for quarterback Jayden Daniels (Arizona State), defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo (Missouri), cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse (Oklahoma State) and others. The roster is in better shape now, and LSU signed ESPN’s No. 7 recruiting class but also kept mining the portal.
Top additions include linebacker Omar Speights, who earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors at Oregon State in 2022, as well as defensive backs Duce Chestnut (Syracuse), Denver Harris (Texas A&M) and JK Johnson (Ohio State). LSU also bolstered its defensive front with Ovie Oghoufo (Texas), Jordan Jefferson (West Virginia) and Jalen Lee (Florida).
“That might not be what Brian Kelly wants to do, but last year, they were depleted and they took a bunch of kids out of the portal,” an SEC coordinator said. “This year, they’re taking a ton of kids out of the portal. It’s kind of one of those never-ending cycles, where once you do, you’ve got to keep doing it to replenish. LSU might be a little bit different, where you can get some blue chips that can help you right away, but it’s hard.”
There’s a lot to like about the Tigers’ transfer class. Speights has been one of the top linebackers in college football over the last few seasons, and that should continue in Baton Rouge. Additions like Chestnut and Harris should give the secondary plenty of talent, while LSU added a lot of depth on the defensive line.
Relying so much on the portal may not be ideal, but it has also allowed Kelly to turn things around at LSU much quicker than many expected. With this transfer haul, he’s set to have a competitive team in the SEC West once again.
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