LSU football missed on one of its top transfer portal targets with safety Tawfiq Byard committing to Colorado.
Safety was a position of need when the portal first opened and it remains one today. The Tigers hosted Byard on a visit, but Deion Sanders and Colorado eventually won out for Byard’s services.
According to On3, Byard is the No. 989 ranked transfer in the portal. He’s the No. 91 ranked safety.
Byard was a originally a three-star recruit coming out of high school in 2023. He didn’t play much as a freshman, but carved out a role in 2024. Per PFF, he was one of the top run defending safeties in the AAC this fall, posting a 77.6 run defense grade. Byard made 43 solo tackles and 18 stops in 2024.
That’s a trait LSU could have used given its safeties struggles in recent years. Now, LSU will continue looking for that help elsewhere. There aren’t many top safeties left in the portal, but a few big names may be yet to enter.