Lorenzo McCaskill, top Louisiana football tackler in 2020 and 2021, enters transfer portal
Yet another prominent Louisiana football player is leaving early.
Starting Mike linebacker Lorenzo McCaskill has entered the transfer portal, he announced Friday.
McCaskill was UL’s leading tackler with 85, including 41 solo stops. The product of Southfield High near Detroit also was the top tackler in 2020, when he had 83.
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“I wouldn’t be anywhere without God. I appreciate everything he has done for me and the opportunity I had to play for this great university,” McCaskill wrote on Twitter. “I also want to thank (former UL Coach Billy) Napier for everything he has done for me and giving me an opportunity when nobody did. You are a true man of your word and I couldn’t thank you enough.
“I have become a better man in my three years at the University of Louisiana. I have met some of the best people that I will ever meet in my life. … I have to tears about this situation.”
gods plan 🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/WQ6xJE74WD
— Lorenzo mccaskill (@bhadda) January 14, 2022
Shortly after announcing he had entered the portal, McCaskill reported offers from Missouri and USC.
The departure UL will be without both of starting inside linebackers from the past two seasons. Will linebacker Ferrod Gardner, a 2022 NFL Draft prospect, has accepted an invitation to the Jan. 29 NFLPA Bowl in Pasadena, California.
McCaskill, who originally signed with Cincinnati and was offered by Michigan State coming out of high school, spent the 2017 season at Holmes (Mississippi) Community College after Cincinnati did not accept him.
He actually spent four years at UL, playing in four games while redshirting in 2018 and appearing in 13 games with 57 tackles in 2019.
McCaskill becomes the seventh Cajun to enter the portal since the season ended, along with starting offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence and reserve offensive lineman Kam Waites, rotation-regular running backs Montrell Johnson Jr. and Emani Bailey, key receiver Kyren Lacy and starting cornerback Mekhi Garner.
Johnson and Waites both been signed by Florida, where Napier is the coach after four seasons at UL, and Torrence is visiting Florida this weekend. Garner transferred to LSU, Bailey transferred to TCU and Lacy visited both LSU and Auburn this week.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana football linebacker Lorenzo McCaskill in transfer portal
