Brian Kelly and the LSU football staff continue their pursuit of a defensive tackle through the NCAA transfer portal, and after seemingly missing out on a top two target, the program is back to square one.
Damonic Williams, the Portals' No. 1 DT, announced his commitment to Oklahoma on Thursday night after a recent trip to Baton Rouge.
After swinging and missing their top targets, all focus over the past 24 hours has shifted to Michigan State transfer Simeon Burrow, who also made the trip to Baton Rouge. Burrow took his first official visit to LSU in late April, but has been trending quickly to the Miami Hurricanes since his visit earlier this week.
The hot topic is LSU's inability to utilize the portal effectively during this spring season, but with defensive line coach Bo Davis on staff, he has the ingredients to put together a solid group. There is.
It would be natural for the Tigers to add another defensive tackle or two as the offseason continues, but there are still some additions on paper.
Let's take a look at the current state of LSU's defensive tackle room.
Veterans: Jacobean Guillory and Jalen Lee
Guillory and Lee handled the majority of LSU's first-team reps during the past two months of spring training, when Guillory was selected as the starter. The fifth-year senior returned to Baton Rouge with an opportunity to take control of this position group, and he did just that this offseason.
At 6-foot-2 and 320 pounds, he stepped into the role during camp and quickly became the vocal leader of this defense. He took first-team reps throughout camp and didn't miss a beat while filling in for snaps taken by both Mekhi Wingo and Marson Smith.
Speaking of Lee, the second-year Tiger lined up next to Guillory for most of camp. The Florida transfer is expected to get significant snaps this offseason as there is a lack of depth in this position group. At 6-foot-3 and 307 pounds, he looked a little lighter and more mobile during spring training.
For Lee, it was a battle throughout spring ball. He's sharing first-team duties with offensive lineman-turned-defensive lineman Kimo Makaneole, and he needs to have a productive offseason to take some impactful snaps this fall.
Click here for the current state of the defensive tackle room.
The Young Stars: Demillion Johnson, Sean Washington, Preston Hickey, Ahmad Brough
Johnson… The true freshman arrived in Baton Rouge this offseason, but was thrust into critical snaps due to the Tigers' lack of depth. Johnson is a player who will take some time to add a season to the game, but the defensive tackle will likely redshirt his first year in the program while he gets acclimated to the college game. In the long run, expect young people to move forward in the right direction.
Washington… A JUCO transfer, Washington headed to Death Valley with high expectations. After attending LSU out of high school, he opted to sign with the Georgia Bulldogs for his freshman campaign before taking the JUCO route. On the recruiting front, LSU's signing makes Washington a coveted target for Power Five programs. It will be interesting to see the snaps he takes in Death Valley this fall, considering it may take some time for him to get to the next level.
Hickey… The walk-on took second-team snaps during spring camp and became an impressive rotation piece when the Tigers needed him. Now, LSU will monitor where Hickey falls on the depth chart as he looks to add reinforcements through the NCAA transfer portal.
blow… Early enrollee Ahmad Blou changed positions. After arriving in Baton Rouge as a defensive end, Breaux recently moved to the inside defensive line given the depth issues the program currently has. The freshman is currently 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, but there is no doubt he will need to add significant size to make an impact sooner rather than later. Nevertheless, he would be an interesting prospect for LSU long-term.
Signed by: Dominic McKinley
The five-star freshman arrived in Death Valley this summer, where he will immediately assume a key role for LSU. Defensive line coach Bo Davis got the coach's commitment earlier this year, and after McKinley officially put pen to paper in February, he never looked back. Now, the five-star signee will be in the spotlight this offseason heading into the season opener against USC, considering he's a player who will have to take snaps.
Transfer addition: Gio Paes
The Wisconsin transfer will head south this summer and will be a key part of the Tigers' rotation in the 2024 season.
Paez, a native of Los Angeles, California, redshirted his first season with the Badgers. He played in just one game in his second year, but 2020 was counted as a season due to the coronavirus. He played in 32 games and recorded 36 tackles over the past three seasons.
Defense line plan:
“We can move (defensive end) Bradyn Swinson inside, we can move Paris Shand inside, then we can move Dashaun Womack to the edge and (linebacker) Harold Perkins to the edge.” Brian Kelly said this spring. I think some defensive linemen can move the team and be really dynamic. On first and second down, you have to work really hard to get after the quarterback. However, Jacobean Guillory was outstanding in stopping that run. In terms of what he wanted from Bo Davis, he was outstanding and a force. He has to find another man. That's what we're looking for. We're trying to develop a second player and have some depth behind them. ”
More LSU news:
Additions: Kim Mulkey, LSU adds coveted rookie to roster for 2024-25 season
Update on No. 1 DT transfer Simeon Burrow after visit to LSU
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