The Tigers have a lot of veteran talent on both sides of the ball entering the 2023 season, but that doesn’t mean that coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] won’t look to several young newcomers to make an early impact.
On3’s Charles Power recently released his list of True Freshman All-Americans, and a pair of players from LSU’s 2023 signing class made the list.
One was tight end [autotag]Ka’Morreun Pimpton[/autotag], a signing day flip from Vanderbilt who could make an immediate impact with a ton of athleticism and an impressive 6-foot-6 frame already. He’s been an early standout from fall camp, according to several reports.
“For my money, had the largest catch-radius of any prospect in the 2023 cycle. A guy with exceptional arm length, and high-end coordination. Absolutely exploded as a senior, just had a monster senior year, which led to his recruitment ramping up and exploding too.”
“… He is making a highlight catch seemingly every day in camp. I think his ability as a mis-match, and particularly as a red-zone target, is substantial. I think he provides just a huge jump-ball threat for LSU. … I think we’ll see Pimpton make an impact as a receiver, which we’ll place a pretty high value on when assembling these teams. I would not be surprised to see him come down with, at the minimum, a handful of touchdowns, if not more than that,” Power threw light on.
Five-star offensive tackle signee [autotag]Lance Heard[/autotag], the top prospect the Tigers landed in the 2023 class, also made the cut. Heard likely projects as a backup in Year 1, but he’s seen some work at right tackle and could potentially compete for a starting spot there with [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] seeing some work inside.
“Brian Kelly has completely rebuilt LSU’s offensive line since taking over as head coach of the Tigers, and I think they enter the season with one of the better fronts in the SEC, with a lot of returning experience. With that said, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zalance Heard get on the field as a freshman as he continues to work in.
“He’s one of the most physically gifted offensive lineman in the 2023 cycle. A guy who is still relatively new to the position, but took to it really quickly. Was a five star for On3. … I think his performance has continued to really validate our belief in his ability. … While I think Heard is still kind of working in and getting his feet wet, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get on the field as a freshman, and potentially push for a starting role at right tackle,” Power untangled.
Both players seem to be among the most likely early contributors from LSU’s 2023 recruiting class, and the Tigers will hope they live up to the hype as they prepare for their first seasons in Baton Rouge.
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