LSU’s running back room is flush with veteran options.
[autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag],[autotag] Logan Diggs[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], and [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] have 17 combined years under their belt. [autotag]Tre Bradford[/autotag], who had a cup of tea with Oklahoma after beginning his career at LSU in 2020 is back with the team too.
LSU lacks a proven star there, but there’s plenty of depth and experience.
But in fall camp, it’s a true freshman stealing the show.
[autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag], a blue-chip recruit who was top 10 overall in the state and top 10 nationally at his position, impressed in Saturday’s scrimmage.
He took a swing pass from [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], made a couple of guys miss and turned on the jets to take it to the house.
Not Gonna Catch Him 😳@Kaleb_TheGreat pic.twitter.com/EzOM85nfKS
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) August 19, 2023
Jackson also notched an 18-yard touchdown run on the day and was tracked reaching speeds over 21 miles per hour.
Fastest play of the day:
@Kaleb_TheGreat at 21.4mph
@iamchrishilton1 at 21.5mph https://t.co/nmkhpdull0— Scott Kuehn (@scottkuehn88) August 19, 2023
For a guy who weighs in at 225, that’s elite speed.
From a physicality and athletic standpoint, Jackson looks to have everything you want in a running back. He’s shifty and can make defenders miss, but he also has the size to run through tackles.
That size paired with his pass-catching ability should make him a formidable option on passing downs too.
Expect LSU to stick with its veterans early in the year. Cain and Williams have the trust of the coaching staff right now, so it would make sense if they got the bulk of the snaps against Florida State.
But if Brian Kelly’s 2022 at LSU taught us anything, it’s that he’s going to get guys that can play in the game, even if it means making some schematic adjustments.
It’s early and Jackson will have to keep it up to chip away at the workload slated for the older guys, but expect to see Jackson contribute for LSU at some point this year.
He has the tools to be a star.
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