Ranking the five best LSU DBs coached by Corey Raymond
Corey Raymond is back in Baton Rouge.
Raymond rose to prominence in the 2010s coaching LSU’s defensive backs, where he assembled some of the sport’s most talented units year after year.
He wasn’t retained upon Brian Kelly’s arrival in 2021, but after LSU’s secondary struggled in 2023, Kelly is bringing back a familiar face.
According to The Advocate, Raymond’s deal is two years with a team option in Year 3. Raymond will be joined by Jake Olsen, who was named safeties coach.
With Raymond back, it’s time to take a look at some of the best players Raymond coached in his lengthy stint at LSU.
No. 5 - Greedy Williams
Williams didn’t have the recruiting hype that others in the top five here did, but he was still a top 300 recruit according to ESPN and 247Sports.
After taking a redshirt in 2016, Williams emerged as one of the nation’s top corners in 2017.
According to PFF, he was the top-graded corner in the SEC as a redshirt freshman in 2017. Williams led SEC corners with six interceptions and owned the lowest opponent passer rating.
Williams followed it up with a strong 2018, notching 10 more pass breakups to go along with two picks. The tandem of Kristian Fulton and Williams was a key part of LSU’s 10-win campaign that led to a Fiesta Bowl win.
No. 4 - Jamal Adams
Adams was a five-star recruit and a member of LSU’s loaded 2014 signing class.
He showed flashes as a true freshman in 2014, but by 2015, he was an All-SEC safety with 5.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions.
In 2016, he helped lead one of the best defenses in the country on his way to being a second-team All-American.
Adams was an impact defender. There aren’t many other ways to describe it.
He went sixth overall to the New York Jets in 2017, making him the second highest pick among Raymond’s LSU DBs.
No. 3 - Grant Delpit
Delpit is the top ranked safety on our list. Raymond recruited Delpit out of IMG Academy in Florida, where he was ranked as a top five safety in the class, according to 247Sports.
As a true freshmen, Delpit ranked 13th in the conference in pass breakups.
In 2018, Delpit was one of the best all-around players in the country. Delpit posted 9.5 tackles for loss, nine pass breakups, and five sacks. No other player has reached those marks in the same categories since.
In 2019, Delpit didn’t produce the same statistical dominance, but finished fifth among SEC safeties in pass breakups and was a key part of LSU’s title defense, despite dealing with an ankle injury at times.
No. 2 - Derek Stingley Jr.
Stingley was Raymond’s most talented recruit. According to Rivals, he was the top overall player in the country.
The expectations were sky high and Stingley delivered. According to PFF, Stingley was the top graded corner in the country in 2019. You don’t see a true freshman do that everyday.
He was targeted 92 times but allowed just 34 catches, taking part in some key turnovers too.
Stingley struggled to stay healthy in 2020 and 2021 as LSU declined at the end of the Ed Orgeron era. Still, in 2021, Stingley allowed just two catches in 154 snaps.
He was the third overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, making him the highest selection among Raymond’s corners.
It was tough to put Stingley this high because he only had one elite year in college, but it was one of the most impressive seasons in LSU history.
No. 1 - Tre'Davious White
White was one of Raymond’s top recruits at LSU. According to 247Sports, White was a top 10 overall recruit in the 2013 class, coming in as the second ranked corner and top player in Louisiana.
White lived up to the hype, leading LSU in pass breakups as a true freshman. By his sophomore year, White was one of the top corners in the conference, ranking top 10 in opponent completion percentage and passer rating.
He earned all-conference honors as a junior before becoming a consensus All-American as a senior.
It’s hard to find many defenders in the history of LSU’s program who played at this level for all four years. He was a first-round pick in 2017 and went on to become an All-Pro corner.
Honorable Mentions
Those five might have the most name recognition, but Raymond’s rooms were loaded with depth and difference-makers across the board. Here are some other guys that deserve recognition.
Reid easily could have been on this list, and his LSU career stacks up with almost anyone, but he only played under Raymond for one year.
Kristian Fulton
Fulton was a five-star and another one of Raymond’s top recruits. He was suspended in 2017 but fought to get his eligibility back in 2018. Fulton became one of the best corners in the SEC in 2018 and won a national title in 2019.
Mills was thrust into the starting lineup early in his career after Tyrann Mathieu was dismissed, and there were growing pains at times, but Raymond turned Mills into a consistent producer. Mills remains active in the NFL with the New England Patriots.
Jackson earned All-SEC and All-American honors in 2017. He was overshadowed by some guys with more star power, but in terms of pure ability, his name is up there.
