Tracking how every LSU transfer fared in 2022
The modern era of college football is full of transfers.
Most big programs are going to see several come and go each year, and LSU has been no exception. Considering the Tigers just went through a coaching transition, they might even have lost more than your average team.
We saw a few transfers go on to have major success this year, such as Trey Palmer at Nebraska. Here is a look at how LSU transfers fared in 2022. These aren’t just guys that left last year, but anyone that left the program in the last few years and saw action this fall.
At the end, we’ll look at the takeaways and evaluate who LSU is probably wishing it kept and who just needed to go their separate ways.
Trey Palmer - Nebraska
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Palmer never got a prime opportunity at LSU. He was buried on the depth chart behind [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag], [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag], [autotag]Terrace Marshall[/autotag] and [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag].
Palmer transferred to Nebraska; this fall, he was one of the best receivers in the Big Ten, if not the country. He had a 1,000-yard season and according to PFF was second in the Power Five in yards/route run. Only Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt had more.
Palmer’s performance drastically improved his NFL prospects. He’s declared for the NFL draft, and fans should expect to see him on Sundays in 2023.
Dwight McGlothern - Arkansas
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McGlothern had a breakout season at LSU in 2021. With [autotag]Eli Ricks[/autotag] and [autotag]Derek Stingley Jr.[/autotag] banged up, McGlothern made the most of his oppurtunity.
However, things didn’t work out when the new coaching staff arrived, and McGlothern had to find a new home, which ended up being Arkansas.
McGlothern built on his 2021 and earned All-SEC honors with the Razorbacks. He was top five among SEC corners in PBU’s and passer rating when targeted.
He’s yet to announce his plans for 2023 but is eligible to enter the draft.
Corey Kiner - Cincinnati
Syndication: The Enquirer
Kiner left a crowded running back room at LSU after a decent freshman campaign in 2021. He ended up at Cincinnati but dealt with some injuries this year.
Kiner played in nine games and ran for 346 yards. His best performance came in week five at Tulsa, where he ran for 106 yards and a touchdown. UC’s offense struggled at times in 2022 and if Kiner stays healthy in 2023, he should get more chances on a Cincinnati team that’s moving to the Big 12.
Joe Evans - UTSA
UTSA DL Joe Evans is dressed for today’s game pic.twitter.com/45XUcC2X56
— JJ Perez (@theJJPerez) September 30, 2022
Evans was a solid contributor for a good UTSA team. He’s a decent run defender and added six pressures rushing the passer. He missed just two tackles all year.
Evans will likely return to the Roadrunners in 2023 where he’ll get a chance to impress NFL scouts against AAC competition.
Pig Cage - UTSA
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Cage joined Evans at UTSA after seeing significant time with LSU in 2021. He rotated in for UTSA this fall, but saw increased time in his final two games.
Cage was at his third stop in three years after coming to LSU from Nicholls. He’ll enter his second year with UTSA in 2023 and could be in line for a breakout.
TJ Finley - Auburn
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Finley left a crowded quarterback room at LSU and joined Auburn prior to 2021. He won the job coming out of camp this year but soon lost it to Robby Ashford.
Finley didn’t throw a pass after Week 3 and it’s difficult to see a scenario where he earns the job back. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Finley back in the portal.
Eli Ricks - Alabama
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Ricks’ time and exit at LSU is well documented.
He was a standout freshmen in 2020 and was following it up in 2021 prior to a season ending injury. With [autotag]Ed Orgeron[/autotag] out, Ricks entered the portal and ended up at division rival Alabama.
Ricks struggled to get on the field early in 2022 but made the most of his opportunity against Mississippi State. Ricks played 90 snaps against the air raid and allowed only one catch on nine targets.
Ricks then struggled in his return to LSU, allowing critical first downs and committing a couple of costly penalties. He finished the year with a solid performance against Auburn and has yet to announce whether he plans to enter the draft or return to school.
Chris Curry - Utah
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Chris Curry left LSU in 2020 and ended up at Utah. His most notable contribution as a Tiger came in the 2019 playoff game, where he filled in for a banged-up Clyde Edwards-Helaire to lead LSU in rushing.
Curry was hurt for much of this fall and played just 24 snaps for the Utes. He carried the ball 12 times for 81 yards.
Siaki Ika - Baylor
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Siaki Ika left LSU in the fall of 2020 and joined former LSU defensive coordinator [autotag]Dave Aranda[/autotag] at Baylor. Since arriving in Waco, Ika has been one of the best defensive linemen in the conference.
PFF has graded Ika as one of the Big 12’s best DL in back-to-back years now. Ika followed up a strong performance in 2021 with another one in 2022. Ika will be eligible for the NFL draft but could also opt to return.
Alex Adams - Akron
(AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Adams transferred to Akron following the 2021 season and was one of the MAC’s most productive receivers in a pass-happy offense. Adams finished 2022 with 856 yards, which ranked top five in the conference. He added nine touchdowns too.
His season included a stretch of four consecutive 100-yard games. His biggest one coming against Kent State, where he totaled 199 yards. Akron looked better as the season went on, and Adams should factor heavily into its 2023 plan.
Tyler Taylor - UAB
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LSU got a first-hand look at Tyler Taylor when he returned to Tiger Stadium in November. Taylor had a messy exit from LSU after legal trouble in 2018. He was suspended before opting to transfer.
Taylor ended up at UAB and put together a decent year in 2022. According to PFF, Taylor was top 10 in the conference in solo tackles and stops. His missed tackle rate was one of the best, as well.
Max Johnson - Texas A&M
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Johnson left LSU following the 2021 season and ended up at Texas A&M with Jimbo Fisher. A&M’s offense struggled early and turned to Johnson, who wasn’t much better than anything else the Aggies had tried.
An injury cut Johnson’s season short and with true freshmen Connor Weigman looking good, Johnson might have to see what’s in the portal again. Johnson is a good player, but he’ll need to find the right fit.
Marcel Brooks - TCU
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Brooks looked like a budding star following his freshmen campaign in 2019.
That’s why it came as a surprise when he choose to transfer, but reports were that he wanted to be closer to home. It’s also not clear how he would have fit at LSU after the departure of Dave Aranda.
At TCU, Brooks was converted to a wide receiver. That didn’t work out, and Brooks was back on defense in 2022. Brooks saw his first action of the year in week five against Oklahoma. He racked up three pressures and a sack.
He was carving out a nice role for himself, but a knee injury cost him the season after the Oklahoma State game. If Brooks manages to get healthy for 2023, we could see him become the player many expected him to be back in 2019.
Koy Moore - Auburn
Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser
Koy Moore left LSU in 2021 after falling down the depth chart in a young and talented receiver room.
He ended up at Auburn. This fall, he set career highs in receptions and yards, catching 20 passes for 314 yards. That was good enough to be the second leading receiver in an offense that struggled to throw the ball.
LSU fans might remember Moore throwing an interception when LSU travelled to Auburn in October too. If Moore is back with Auburn in 2023, he’ll be a decent option in Hugh Freeze’s offense.
Cole Smith - Mississippi State
The Clarion-Ledger
It’s been awhile since Cole Smith was actually at LSU. He left prior to the 2019 season. He carved out a nice role at Mississippi State as 2022 marked his third straight season as a significant contributor.
He only allowed one sack all year and didn’t even allow a pressure in his final two games of the regular season.
Landon Jackson - Arkansas
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Jackson left LSU during the coaching transition last year. He joined Dwight McGlothern at Arkansas. Jackson was a member of an Arkansas front that failed to generate consistent pressure.
According to PFF, Jackson had a pass rush win rate of just 7.3%, which was one of the worst in the SEC. Jackson is talented and has all the tools. It’ll be interesting to see if he puts it together in 2023.
Arik Gilbert - Georgia
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Gilbert’s career has been up and down as he burst on the scene at LSU in 2020 before personal issues led him to transfer closer to home at Georgia.
He played in just three games this year, and it’s still not clear what his status is, but the talent is obvious. Kirby Smart had this to say when asked a few weeks ago.
Arik Gilbert did not travel for Georgia's last game, and has only played in three games. Kirby Smart was asked after Tuesday's practice how Gilbert is doing:
“He’s doing well," Smart said. "He continues to grow. Just trying to help Arik as a person and a student right now.”
— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) November 22, 2022
Right now, it seems like there are more important things than football for Gilbert to deal with.
Takeaways
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
There are some big names there.
[autotag]Trey Palmer[/autotag] had a great year at Nebraska. His ability was always obvious, he just never really got the chance at LSU. Although, it’d be tough to say he should have stayed or LSU should have done more to keep him.
He left a crowded room and LSU’s wide receiver room was one of the team’s better units this year.
The losses at corner hurt, though LSU did a fine job replacing them in the portal. Ricks and McGlothern had good reasons for leaving, but LSU needs talent in the secondary and those two went on to produce for division rivals.
Perhaps there’s no bigger “what could have been” than [autotag]Marcel Brooks[/autotag]. Orgeron said Brooks wanted to be closer to home, and considering he left in the heat of the pandemic, that’s understandable.
But it looked like Brooks was turning into a legit star. His versatility and speed off the edge was reminiscent of what we saw from [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] this year, even if they aren’t identical players.
[autotag]Corey Kiner[/autotag] ended up closer to home at Cincinnati, but LSU certainly could have used depth at running back this fall.
And on one final note, it’s nice to see guys like [autotag]Alex Adams[/autotag] finding success at Akron. Players only have so much eligibility and Adams went to a place where he can make the most of it right away and play for a great offensive mind in Joe Moorehead.
