Grading every LSU position group through five games
Five games in, LSU sits at 4-1.
The theme this year has been fresh faces. From Jayden Daniels to freshmen starting offensive tackles to a novel group of corners, LSU is breaking in the new.
At 4-1 in a rebuilding year, there aren’t many complaints from an expectations standpoint, but you can still find plenty of areas where this group needs work.
It’s been a mixed bag this far with some inconsistent performances from game to game. Over the last four weeks, it’s been enough for LSU to get the win.
With the schedule getting tougher, starting this week with Tennessee, LSU will need to find some more consistency.
Here’s how each position group grades out five games into the season.
Quaterbacks
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This is really just grading out Daniels since he has taken most of the meaningful reps at quarterback this year.
Daniels has been solid. There have been some moments where he’s held on to the ball too long or was quick to scramble, both of which have resulted in some missed opportunities, but other than that, it’s hard to find a criticism.
Daniels ranks 20th in ESPN’s QBR and has yet to throw an interception.
He’s made some big plays in big moments. Against Florida State and Mississippi State, it was Daniels finding a rhythm that led to LSU’s success on offense.
Against Auburn, he didn’t have his best day passing the ball, but his legs kept drives alive, helping LSU complete the comeback. Subtracting for sack yardage, Daniels has run for 384 yards on the year and is fourth in the SEC with 8.5 yards per carry.
Daniels still needs to take a few more steps, but he’s been one of LSU’s better players this year.
Grade: B+
Running backs
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The running back room took a hit with Armoni Goodwin’s hamstring injury. Goodwin had been LSU’s most consistent runner to start the year.
The way the group played against Auburn should ease some concerns. [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] all averaged four or more yards per carry in Jordan-Hare.
With Goodwin out, the expectation was that Emery would receive the bulk of the carries. That was not the case, as Williams led the way with 17. Emery was given the ball eight times against Auburn, but had LSU’s biggest run of the night, scoring the go-ahead touchdown down in the second half.
Emery’s 39-yard reception was LSU’s longest play of the night and set LSU up at the goal line to make it 17-14. The guy with the most to gain with Goodwin out could be Cain.
Cain led the way for LSU against New Mexico and looked good against Auburn. He’s averaged 7.2 yards per attempt over the last two games.
Williams’ 68 yards against Auburn were a career-high. He doesn’t have the game-breaking ability that Emery or Goodwin possesses, but he’s a guy this staff trusts.
If Goodwin was healthy, this grade would be a tad higher, but we’re going to need to see a bit more consistency from this group.
Grade: B-
Pass catchers
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Many thought this pass-catching group was the best in the SEC heading into the year. Five games in, it’s difficult to gauge.
They haven’t taken over a game and have had difficulty creating consistent separation. At the same time, they’ve made some big plays that have kept LSU in games.
You’d like to see more from [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag], but we’re grading the group, not individuals. This unit had their worst game of the season against Auburn. LSU dropped five passes on Saturday, but one of those came from Emery.
[autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] had two drops, while Boutte and [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] had one each.
Nabers performance against Mississippi State gives this unit a boost, as well as the strides Thomas has made in his second year. [autotag]Jaray Jenkins[/autotag] has shown up in big moments as well, leading the team in touchdowns.
If we’re grading this group strictly on performance, it’s probably a B+, but expectations have to be considered. If Boutte breaks out and Nabers and Thomas find some consistency, this group will be one of the most potent in the country.
Grade: C+
Offensive line
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This was LSU’s biggest question mark heading into the season and thus far, it’s been a mixed bag. The group struggled early against Florida State, preventing the offense from establishing any form of momentum. By the time they found their footing, it was too late.
Against Mississippi State, LSU started two true freshmen at tackle in [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag], and the unit had its best game of the season. It’s hard to ask for anything more than what Campbell and Jones did in that Mississippi State game.
[autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] has settled in at center for LSU, while the guards have remained a revolving door. [autotag]Garrett Dellinger[/autotag] was settling in at left guard until a hand injury knocked him out.
[autotag]Anthony Bradford[/autotag] has been in and out, and [autotag]Miles Frazier[/autotag] has jumped around as needed, making starts at three different positions.
This group has been inconsistent, but still better than expected.
Against Auburn’s front, there were some struggles. It was the worst night LSU had in pass protection all year. Jones looked like a freshman and Auburn was able to get pressure with just three or four rushers.
However, we have seen some improvements in run blocking, which has been an issue at LSU for a few years now. We’ll give this group a B+ for now, but it needs to play better than it did against Auburn.
Grade: B+
Defensive line
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LSU’s defensive line was expected to be one of the best in the country. Maason Smith’s injury raised some questions, but the unit has continued to excel.
[autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag], despite being banged up and missing a couple of games, has been one of the best pass rushers in college football. Ojulari was dominant against Mississippi State and it was his forced fumble that shifted momentum against Auburn.
Elsewhere on the edge, [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] hasn’t quite had the season many were hoping for, but has still added eight pressures and forced a fumble. [autotag]Saivion Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Desmond Little[/autotag] have done a fine job filling in for Ojulari as needed and the depth at edge rusher has been a pleasant surprise.
[autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag], in place of Smith, has been one of the best run defenders in the SEC. He’s helped solidify LSU’s interior defensive line as one of the best in the SEC.
Jaquelin Roy’s nine pressures rank third among SEC defensive tackles. Roy’s combination of size and athleticism compliments Wingo well. This unit has been solid across the board and has played a large role in LSU’s win streak.
Grade: A
Linebackers
This is one of LSU’s deepest rooms and the unit has looked the part five games in. Five players have played over 80 snaps, with [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag] leading the way with 175.
In that time, Penn has missed just two tackles. He hasn’t been elite, but he’s been good and fit in well behind LSU’s defensive line. [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag], a five-star true freshman, has already started making a name for himself as a versatile playmaker.
His 10 pressures ranked third among SEC linebackers and his interception against Auburn helped preserve LSU’s lead. [autotag]Micah Baskerville[/autotag], the veteran of the group, may be the most well-rounded of the group so far.
He’s missed just one tackle and made impacts in all phases of the game. [autotag]Mike Jones Jr.[/autotag] has also provided a versatile option for [autotag]Matt House[/autotag].
Grade: B+
Defensive backs
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More than any other position group on the team, the secondary was full of fresh faces.
LSU had some returning production at safety, but LSU hit the transfer portal hard at corner, brining in guys like [autotag]Mekhi Garner[/autotag] and [autotag]Jarrick Bernard-Converse[/autotag].
Garner has been the best of the group and PFF has graded him as the best corner in the SEC. He’s allowed just six catches all year. Bernard-Converse is coming off his best game of the year. Against Auburn, he allowed just two catches for five yards.
[autotag]Colby Richardson[/autotag], a name many had never heard of until camp, has been a solid contributor at corner, but he is allowing 19.2 yards per catch. The silver lining is that he’s allowed just five.
Rotating between safety and nickel, [autotag]Jay Ward[/autotag] has been an impactful player, showing up in big moments against Mississippi State and Auburn. The same could be said for [autotag]Greg Brooks Jr.[/autotag]
[autotag]Major Burns[/autotag] was a big loss, and his injury will keep him out for several weeks, but Joe Foucha’s return should help soothe that loss. LSU would also like to see [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] continue to progress.
It’s hard to give this group anything below an A at the moment.
Grade: A-
