LSU knew it needed a few breakouts on defense to see growth on that side of the ball. The unit is young and LSU didn’t do much in the transfer portal, putting pressure on the players in-house to turn a corner.
LSU may have found that star in [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] at defensive end. Swinson transferred to LSU prior to 2023 after spending three years at Oregon. Swinson was a rotational piece for LSU last year but proved to be a valuable veteran down the stretch.
Four games into 2024, Swinson’s found another level. He’s taken over the last two games, forcing a fumble against South Carolina and UCLA. He has five sacks on the year, with a few of those coming when LSU needed them most.
Swinson’s 18 pressures rank third among Power Four edge defenders. His pass-rush win rate and PFF pass-rush grade sit in the top 10 too. He’s not just the most impactful player on LSU’s defense, but one of the most impactful defenders in the country.
Swinson took home SEC defensive lineman of the week after LSU’s week four win, making it the second consecutive game with conference superlative honors for Swinson.
Bradyn Swinson with an explosive speed rush to force a strip sack pic.twitter.com/GZcUQxOXeU
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) September 21, 2024
Swinson is showcasing a blend of speed and power that was evident in flashes last year, but now he’s performing consistently. He’s a threat to make a play at any down and distance, at any point in the game. Offenses have to account for him in ways they didn’t before, potentially making it easier on the rest of the defensive front.
That’s big given LSU just lost [autotag]Harold Perkins Jr.[/autotag] for the year with a torn ACL. LSU will rely on Swinson’s pass rush even more, but he appears up for the task.
This is an All-American level campaign. It will get tougher when LSU starts seeing better offensive lines week in and week out, but expect Swinson to continue to rack up pressures.
Swinson’s progress wasn’t linear. He didn’t begin his college career as a highly-touted blue-chip, though he was a three-star and top 500 overall player. He didn’t produce much at Oregon, but there were positive indicators when he arrived at LSU, such as a good pass rush win rate in his limited action with the Ducks.
LSU defensive ends coach [autotag]Kevin Peoples[/autotag] deserves credit too. He has a knack for developing pass rushers and is proving to be a critical hire on Brian Kelly’s defensive staff.
There’s a long way to go, but if Swinson keeps this up, he’ll contend for the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year.
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