LSU lost its top two pass-catchers from a year ago as [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] are heading to the NFL. There’s still talent in the receiver room, but the Tigers may look elsewhere for some production in the passing game.
[autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] enters his junior season with the team and figures to be among the best tight ends in the country. He burst onto the scene as a true freshman, catching the game-winning two-point conversion to beat Alabama, and though his production dropped a bit as a sophomore, he still finished with 348 yards and a touchdown on 36 catches.
He could be poised to take up an even bigger role this season, and Phil Steele is high on Taylor in his annual college football preview. In ranking the nation’s tight ends, he puts Taylor at No. 2.
Taylor was expected to take a leap after a big true freshman season, and while that didn’t exactly happen, it can largely be attributed to targets going elsewhere. In an offense that could lean even more on the passing game with a gunslinger in [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], Taylor could be a beneficiary.
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