During last week’s game against Auburn, starting right tackle [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] went down with an injury that ended his night. At that point, true freshman [autotag]Lance Hear[/autotag]d was thrust into play.
This was not the first action Heard has seen this season as Brian Kelly has thrown him in at guard in other games to see if he could gel with the starting offensive line . Heard was one of the best recruits in the 2023 recruiting class. He was a five-star offensive tackle from Monroe, Louisiana, where he played for Neville High School.
When Heard came into the game for Jones, the Tigers offense did not miss a beat. His stellar play earned him a spot on On3’s true freshman standouts list
Zalance Heard was thrust into action during LSU’s 48-18 win over Auburn following an injury to starting right tackle Emery Jones. The 6-foot-6, 340-pounder held up well, giving up just one pressure on 31 pass attempts, per Pro Football Focus. Heard’s ability to step in and play well helped the LSU offense to keep humming driven by the strong play of quarterback Jayden Daniels. The Monroe (La.) Neville looks has played well in spot duty and provides key depth at the tackle spots for the Tigers – at the very minimum. Heard’s combination of elite length and advanced play strength made him a five-star prospect, as he finished No. 11 overall and as the No. 2 offensive tackle in the 2023 On300. The No. 1 tackle in the 2023 On300, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, was similarly thrust into action on Saturday and also played at a high level.
Heard will get his first start as an LSU Tigers this Saturday against Army during homecoming.
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