Tag: 2023 Football Player Profiles

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 34 Ryan Robinson Jr.

Ryan Robinson Jr. turned down a number of big-time Power Five offers to walk-on with the in-state Tigers.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

When a player generally walks on at a program like LSU, it’s because they were under-recruited out of high school. [autotag]Ryan Robinson Jr.[/autotag] is an interesting case, though, as the three-star New Orleans Edna Karr prospect turned down Power Five offers from a number of top programs to join the Tigers as a preferred walk-on.

Ryan Robinson Jr. Preseason Player Profile

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 34 Damian Ramos

Damian Ramos held down the starting placekicker job as a redshirt freshman last fall.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We continue our look at the specialists on this roster with [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag], who held down the starting placekicker job for the entirety of the 2022 season as a redshirt freshman in replacement of [autotag]Cade York[/autotag]. He appears likely to do so once again in 2023.

Damian Ramos Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Ht: 6-2

Wt: 186

247Sports Composite Ranking

Unrated (Five-star per Chris Sailer Kicking)

Class in 2022: Redshirt Freshman

Career Stats

Year G FGM FGA FG% Long XP XPA XP%
2022 14 10 14 71.4% 47 55 57 96.5%

Depth Chart Overview

Though specialists generally aren’t rated by the typical recruiting sites, Ramos was listed as a five-star (out of six) coming out of St. Paul’s High School in Baltimore by Chris Sailer Kicking.

That roughly corresponds to a player who is capable of starting at an FBS-caliber school as a freshman. Though he didn’t see the field in 2021, he became the starter last season, beating out [autotag]Ezekiel Mata[/autotag] and Northwestern transfer [autotag]Trey Finison[/autotag].

It wasn’t a stellar year for Mata, who went 10-of-14 on the year on field goal attempts. He missed just two of 57 extra points, one of which was blocked on the final play of the game in the loss to Florida State.

He saw some action on kickoffs as well, though [autotag]Nathan Dibert[/autotag] was the primary kick-off specialist. That dynamic seems likely to continue this fall.

Damian Ramos’ Photo Gallery

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 33 West Weeks

West Weeks saw a rotational role while playing in all 14 games as a transfer from Virginia last fall.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We’re looking at another member of the linebacker corps in [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag], a junior who transferred in from Virginia last season. Weeks saw a rotational role last fall while appearing in all 14 games, and the LSU legacy will push for more playing time alongside his younger brother, true freshman linebacker [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag].

West Weeks Preseason Player Profile

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 33 Javen Nicholas

A preferred walk-on from New Orleans, Javen Nicholas appeared in four games while preserving a redshirt last fall.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We’re looking at a preferred walk-on receiver in [autotag]Javen Nicholas[/autotag], who comes from St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. Despite walking on, he appeared in four games as a true freshman while earning a redshirt, and he hopes to expand his role this fall during his redshirt freshman season.

Javen Nicholas Preseason Player Profile

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 32 Tre Bradford

Tre Bradford has had a winding career, but he’s back with the Tigers this fall.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We are headed back to the loaded running back room to check out [autotag]Tre Bradford[/autotag], who signed with LSU out of high school then transferred to Oklahoma, and then back to LSU. He has played in six games making only one start in his career as a Tiger.

Bradford didn’t play in 2022, but he’s back on the roster to provide some depth this fall.

Tre Bradford Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Ht: 6-0

Wt: 208

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four Stars | No. 18 in Texas | No. 13 Running Back

Class in 2022: Did not play

Career Stats

Year G Att Yards YPA Rec Yards Total TDs
2020 5 10 58 5.8 3 13 1
2021 1 2 11 5.5 0 0 0

Depth Chart Overview

Bradford had high expectations when he signed at LSU as a top-150 prospect from Dallas in the 2020 recruiting class. He appeared in five games that year as a true freshman, but he saw minimal action. After only attempting 10 carries for 58 yards, he entered the transfer portal.

He landed at Oklahoma, but after just a handful of practices, he decided to re-enter the portal and returned to LSU shortly before the season started. Thanks to a rule allowing players to return to their original school before they’ve appeared in a certain number of practices at their new school, he was given eligibility in 2021.

In spite of that, he battled injuries and appeared in just one game, taking two carries for 11 yards. His only touchdown in two years came through the air,

As previously mentioned, LSU’s running back room is loaded with talent. It’s as if there are five or six different cooks all trying to cook in one kitchen. Bradford is going to compete for carries with [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag], [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] and [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag].

Tre Bradford’s Photo Gallery

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 32 Seth Marcione

Seth Marcione was a freshman on the LSU squad last year and played linebacker, though he didn’t appear in any games.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

[autotag]Seth Marcione[/autotag] was a freshman on the LSU squad last year and played linebacker. He did not appear in any games and also did not receive a redshirt. He will be a sophomore this fall and will hopefully get some playing time this year.

Seth Marcione Preseason Player Profile

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 31 Everett Garard

The Atlanta native is yet to appear in a game for the Tigers as he’s mostly seen a role on the scout team to this point in his career.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We continue to look at the group of walk-ons on the defensive side of the ball with redshirt sophomore cornerback [autotag]Everett Garard[/autotag]. The Atlanta native is yet to appear in a game for the Tigers as he’s mostly seen a role on the scout team to this point in his career.

Everett Garard Preseason Player Profile

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 31 Nathan Dibert

Nathan Dibert was LSU’s starting kickoff specialist for the final 11 games last season.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We’re taking a look at another specialist for LSU in [autotag]Nathan Dibert[/autotag], a sophomore placekicker who spent the 2022 season as the Tigers’ starting kickoff specialist in 11 games. He received Freshman All-SEC honors and was featured on the 2023 preseason All-SEC list while serving as the backup placekicker to [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag].

Nathan Dibert Preseason Player Profile

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 30 Greg Penn III

After coming on at the end of his true freshman season, Greg Penn III started all 14 games last season.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

This is a defense that has been largely remade over the last two seasons, but we’re looking at a returning starter who has been around for both. [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag] came on at the end of his true freshman season in 2021, and he became a full-time starter last season.

Greg Penn III Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Ht: 6-2

Wt: 235

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four Stars | No. 10 in Maryland | No. 23 Linebacker

Class in 2022: Sophomore

Career Stats

Year G Total Solo TFL Sacks FF PD INT
2021 10 11 5 0 0 0 0 0
2022 14 78 42 6 0 0 3 0

Depth Chart Overview

Penn certainly arrived at LSU as a true freshman with some expectations as a top-250 recruit, but he wasn’t expected to see the field a ton in his first season on the bayou.

In fact, he played in 10 games, though he was mostly a rotational player in all but one of them. He got the start for LSU’s loss to Kansas State in the Texas Bowl, where he notched seven of his 11 total tackles for the season.

His real breakout came as a sophomore in 2022, when he started all 14 games and finished second on the team in tackles. He has a chance to retain that starting job this fall, but it will likely depend on a few factors.

The Tigers added an All-Pac-12 inside linebacker in [autotag]Omar Speights[/autotag], and depending on how much work [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] sees inside, Penn could see more of a rotational role alongside players like brothers [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag] and [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag].

This will certainly be a position battle worth watching in fall camp.

Greg Penn III’s Photo Gallery

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 30 Malachi Lane

Malachi Lane began his LSU career as a safety, but the walk-on has moved to running back as a sophomore.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We continue our look at LSU’s running back room with a walk-on in [autotag]Malachi Lane[/autotag]. Listed on the depth chart as a safety last season, he’s now working with the running backs after he didn’t appear in a game during his freshman season. He’ll have to fight to see any action in arguably the Tigers’ deepest position group.

Malachi Lane Preseason Player Profile