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With the 2024 college football season now over after Ohio State’s National Championship in the first ever 12 team College Football Playoff, it is time to take a sneak peek of who is taking the first steps to potentially a national championship and a part of that formula in this day of age in college football is getting the top transfer talent in college football.
After one transfer portal window, the LSU Tigers have the top transfer portal class entering the offseason. Entering his fourth year as the Tigers’ head coach, 2025 is now or never for Brian Kelly to lead the Tigers to a College Football Playoff berth.
In Baton Rouge, there are always high expectations, but acquiring veteran elite talent will only amp up those expectations.
Offensively, the Tigers reloaded surrounding their star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier with impressive skill talent.
Kentucky transfer Barion Brown is not only one of the best receivers in the SEC, but he is one of the best kick returners in the country. Through three seasons at Kentucky, the speedy Brown accounted for 3,723 all-purpose yards (1,528 receiving, 1,465 kickoff return yards, 195 rushing, and 85 punt returns). This three time All-SEC selection holds the conference record and leads the nation among active players with five career kickoff returns for touchdowns.
Two pass catching weapons from Oklahoma also decided to keep their receiving talents in the SEC and take their talents to LSU in wide receiver Nic Anderson and tight end Bauer Sharp.
At 6’4, 216 pounds, Anderson is a big play receiver with a big frame. For the Sooners, Anderson started off his Oklahoma career with a bang setting a freshman touchdown record with 10 in 2023, but missed majority of his sophomore season this year because of injury. He is looking to get back to his freshman form at LSU.
Sharp only spent one season in Norman before following his Sooners teammate to Baton Rouge. The 6’4, 243 pound tight end brings a lot of versatility to the table as not only he led Oklahoma in receptions (42) and yards (324), but he is also a former quarterback that signed with Southeastern Louisiana before switching to tight end.
Bauer Sharp will join a loaded room that features another SEC tight end in Texas A&M transfer Donovan Green, who has played three seasons in College Station. The former four star prospect has a lot of talent, but is looking to consistently show it on the field by staying healthy.
The Tigers added a Louisiana native to the receiving core by adding former Edna Karr wide receiver and Florida State pass catcher Destyn Hill also to the roster as he rejoins his former Cougar teammate Aaron Anderson.
With four offensive linemen leaving campus, LSU so far has brought in two new offensive linemen to compete for starting jobs in Northwestern transfer Josh Thompson, who has started 21 games over his college career, and Virginia Tech transfer Braelin Moore, who has started 24 games over his career.
Adding an insurance policy at quarterback behind Garrett Nussmeier, Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. announced that he was transferring to LSU. As a true freshman, Van Buren showed that he is already ready to play in the SEC as he started the final eight games of the season for the Bulldogs by throwing for 1,886 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for another five touchdowns on the ground. He will not only secure the Tigers’ backup quarterback spot, but he will also compete for a starting job once Nussmeier leaves.
While the offense made some upgrades, it could be argued that LSU’s defense was a bigger winner after the first transfer portal window closed at the end of the year. It starts off with a highly touted defensive front headlined by Florida State transfer Patrick Payton.
LSU hit the jackpot when the number one defensive player and number two overall prospect in the portal inked his name with the Purple and Gold. At 6’5, 250 pounds, Payton is a force to be reckoned with on the edge. In three seasons with the Seminoles, he had 109 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 12 pass breakups and three forced fumbles.
Payton is not the only edge rusher in the state of Florida that will be moving to Louisiana with Florida defensive end Jack Pyburn also joining the Tigers. Pyburn had his breakout season this year in Gainesville with 60 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and one interception while starting the last eight games of the year. He hopes that will springboard him into an even bigger year with the Tigers in 2025.
The third defensive end that LSU snagged out of the transfer portal comes from Big 10 country in former Nebraska Cornhusker Jimari Butler. The 6’5, 260 pounder spent five years in Lincoln and was an All-Big 10 Honorable Mention selection in 2023. With 16 starts, Butler brings a veteran presence with 65 career tackles, 17 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks.
While adding pivotal pieces on the edge, the Tigers also added massive Texas transfer Sydir Mitchell as an interior piece at 6’6, 369 pounds. Mitchell’s previous relationship with LSU defensive line coach Bo Davis was the driving force in sending him to Baton Rouge.
LSU has always been known for being DBU and a couple of down seasons has not helped its reputation, but what has helped was bringing back one of the godfathers of DBU, which is Corey Raymond. Having not only one of the best defensive back coaches, but recruiters could help bring that moniker back and LSU has certainly done that in the portal.
At cornerback, the Tigers have two talented options from the portal in Virginia Tech transfer Mansoor Delane and Florida transfer Ja’Keem Jackson.
Delane is ranked as the number two defensive back prospect in the portal and has started 29 games in three seasons. Earning third team All-ACC honors, Delane ranked third in the conference in interceptions (4) and sixth in PBUs (11). Coming over to the SEC, Delane has 146 career tackles, 7 TFLs, 22 PBUs, and 6 INTs.
Jackson joins fellow Gator teammate Jack Pyburn in Baton Rouge and comes to campus hungry. After opening the season as a starter at cornerback, an injury stopped his season from happening. He will look to have that same opportunity in Baton Rouge.
NC State transfer Tamarcus Cooley arrives on campus after playing primarily nickel for the Wolfpack. Cooley started nine games in Raleigh after previously coming in from Maryland. He brings experience to the nickel position with 43 career tackles and two interceptions.
Finally, LSU’s special teams was addressed when acquiring Middle Tennessee punter Grant Chadwick, who averaged 43 yards per punt, which ranked fourth nationally among FBS freshmen punters last season.
Coming up soon, we will look ahead and give an early look of what the 2025 LSU Tigers will look like. Even though LSU lost some talent from the portal including starters/contributors Sage Ryan (Ole Miss), Jay’viar Suggs (Wisconsin), CJ Daniels (Miami), and Da’Shawn Womack (Ole Miss), this transfer portal class is a good start this offseason in order for the Tigers to get back competing for championships.
To look at what the Tigers have signed including freshmen talent from the early signing period, click below.
We will continue to update what pieces the Tigers will receive throughout the second signing period and the second transfer portal window, which will occur in the springtime.
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