Tag: Ali Gaye

Brian Kelly offers update on Maason Smith’s injury recovery

Kelly said Smith will be ready to go for fall camp.

LSU fans are eagerly waiting the return of talented defensive lineman [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag]. The Louisiana native was primed for a breakout year in 2022 before a torn ACL in Week 1 ended his season.

Smith has been a non-contact participant in spring practice, but Kelly said he’ll be full strength when fall rolls around. This lines up with what has been said throughout Smith’s recovery process.

Kelly is excited with what Smith will bring back to the defense.

Kelly discussed LSU’s inside pass rush in 2022, noting it wasn’t always a threat.

The return of Smith will help make for a more complete unit and the Tigers will need it with [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] headed to the NFL.

Smith isn’t your typical pass rusher from the edge, but he’s a force on the inside and can be just as impactful. Generating pressure from the middle gets to the QB faster and disrupts his eye line, making things easier on the whole defense.

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10 dynamic prospects for the Eagles to watch at the NFL scouting combine

With the workouts set to begin, we’re looking at 10 dynamic players for the Philadelphia Eagles to watch at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

The Eagles are at the NFL scouting combine and with two first-round picks for the second year in a row, they’ll look to retool with 18 pending free agents set to hit the open market.

Philadelphia could lose Isaac Seumalo and Miles Sanders on offense, but the unit is intact at the most critical positions and will likely use their six draft picks on dynamic defenders.

The Eagles have 9 key contributors on defense set for free agency, and GM Howie Roseman has acknowledged that he won’t be able to retain his core of free agents with Jalen Hurts set to land a huge contract extension.

With the onfield portion of the combine set to heat up, we’re looking at 10 dynamic prospects for the Eagles to watch.

Eagles’ biggest draft needs as the NFL Combine gets underway

We’re looking at the Philadelphia Eagles’ biggest NFL Draft needs as the Scouting Combine gets underway

The Eagles will have two first-round picks in April’s NFL Draft, 18 pending free agents, and a contract extension for quarterback Jalen Hurts, meaning the roster will look different going forward.

Some of the usual suspects or names you’ve grown to love will move on, while younger, more athletic, and dynamic replacements will join a roster looking for a return to the Super Bowl.

Philadelphia’s team brass is in Indianapolis to evaluate some of the top talent available and we’re previewing the Eagles’ biggest draft needs.

Top 2023 NFL Draft prospects at the Eagles’ biggest positions of need

We’re looking at the top 2023 NFL Draft prospects at the Philadelphia Eagles’ most significant positions of need

The rich are getting richer, and even with a 38-35 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, things are looking promising for the Eagles as the 2023 NFL offseason gets underway.

Thanks to some draft night wizardry from Howie Roseman, the Eagles traded the No. 16 overall pick, No. 19 overall pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 18 overall pick, a 2022 third-round pick, a 2022 seventh-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.

With 18 Eagles set to hit free agency and some roster retooling set to begin, here are the best 2023 NFL draft prospects at the Birds’ biggest positions of need.

10 potential Eagles targets that stood out the most during the 2023 Senior Bowl

We’re looking at 10 potential Philadelphia Eagles NFL Draft targets that stood out the most during the 2023 Senior Bowl

The NFL Draft starts in Mobile, Alabama, and on Saturday afternoon, the National team dominated the American team 27-10 at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener was named the game MVP after he completed 12 of 19 passes for 139 yards and a 44-yard-touchdown connection to Stanford wide receiver Michael Wilson, who impressed all week long.

The Eagles have 18 players set to hit free agency and with Howie Roseman needing to reload, here are ten draft prospects that stood out on Saturday.

2 former LSU defensive standouts hoping to boost stock at Senior Bowl on Saturday

Ali Gaye and Jay Ward will hope to boost their draft stocks on Saturday.

The Tigers will have a pair of representatives in the Senior Bowl game on Saturday in [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] and [autotag]Jay Ward[/autotag].

The Senior Bowl is set for a 12:30 p.m. CT kickoff in Mobile, Alabama, with the game televised on the NFL Network. It will be held at South Alabama’s Whitney Stadium, and both teams will represent the American team.

Gaye was a JUCO transfer who started 26 of the 27 games he appeared in during his three seasons with the Tigers. He had 36 tackles (six for loss) and 2.5 sacks in his final season at LSU. Ward, meanwhile, played both nickel and safety this year.

Ward had 60 tackles, four pass breakups, 2.5 tackles for loss and an interception in 2022, and his versatility has garnered quite a bit of attention in Mobile this week.

Both players have an opportunity to boost their stock with solid performances on Saturday.

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This LSU football signee is set to make an instant impact for the Tigers

Dashawn Womack is one of two composite five stars in LSU’s class, per 247Sports.

LSU returns a lot of production on offense in 2023, but that isn’t exactly the case on defense.

The edge on the defensive line is an area of concern, especially. Both starters from 2022 in [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] are gone, and while LSU added some talent in the portal with experienced players like [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag], there could be an opportunity for freshmen to see some reps.

That’s where [autotag]Dashawn Womack[/autotag] comes in. The Baltimore prospect was one of two composite five stars in LSU’s 2023 class, per 247Sports, and he was listed by On3 as one of several blue-chip prospects who could be poised to make an immediate impact.

Dashawn Womack has a case as the most ready to play EDGE prospect in the class. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Womack is not a projection physically. He registers as a top athlete in the combine setting and carries that athleticism over to the field. Womack was dominant as a senior, tallying 15 sacks while playing a national schedule at Baltimore St. Frances Academy. The LSU signee has some technical refinement with quick hands and pass rush moves. The ability to create pressure off the edge and finish with violence puts him in a good position to fill BJ Ojulari‘s role in LSU’s defense. We also wouldn’t be surprised to see Womack’s fellow LSU signee Zalance Heard lock down the right tackle spot in Baton Rouge as a freshman and start opposite his former high school teammate, Will Campbell.

Womack ranks as a five-star prospect and checks in at No. 12 overall in the On300.

LSU saw a true freshman make a lot of plays off the edge this fall in [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag], who will likely shift more into an off-ball role once he becomes a better run defender. Womack could have a chance to be the Tigers’ next true freshman breakout player.

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Former LSU edge rusher commits to UNLV

Zavier Carter is heading out west after two seasons in Baton Rouge.

Former LSU outside linebacker [autotag]Zavier Carter[/autotag] has found a new home. On Monday, Carter announced that he would be transferring to UNLV to join newly hired coach [autotag]Barry Odom[/autotag], previously Arkansas‘ defensive coordinator and the head coach at Missouri.

A former four-star prospect out of Atlanta in the 2021 class, Carter appeared in 18 games over two seasons as a rotational player. He finished his LSU career with nine total tackles (one for loss), a sack and a forced fumble.

Carter’s decision to enter the portal came as a bit of a surprise. With the Tigers losing both [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] to the NFL draft, he had a path to see significant reps in 2023 if not start.

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Early LSU defensive depth chart prediction for the 2023 season

Here’s what LSU’s defense could look like in 2023.

Earlier this week, we took an early look at what LSU could throw out there on offense this fall.

Now, It’s time for the defense.

This unit is more of a challenge to pin down. LSU’s offense is bringing back most of its production. The defense, however, is losing several key pieces.

[autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] are gone after holding down the edge spots since 2020. The secondary is going through another makeover and veteran linebackers [autotag]Micah Baskerville[/autotag] and [autotag]Mike Jones Jr.[/autotag] are gone too.

[autotag]DeMario Tolan[/autotag], a talented young linebacker, hit the portal along with a couple of young corners.

The cupboard is far from bare. LSU returns strong players on the interior and did heavy work in the transfer portal, especially on the backend. With [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag], [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] and a healthy [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag], the defense remains in a good spot.

Here’s how we think the defense could stack up next season.

Mike Jones Jr. announces departure after Citrus Bowl win

The veteran linebacker is moving on in 2023.

An LSU linebacker announced he’d be moving on following LSU’s Citrus Bowl win over Purdue.

Speaking to WAFB’s Jacques Doucet, linebacker [autotag]Mike Jones Jr.[/autotag] said that he would be moving on following the game.

“This is it,” Jones told Doucet. “An old dog’s last walk around the park.”

Jones transferred to LSU prior to the 2021 season after three years at Clemson. He played a key role in LSU’s defense improving over the course of 2021. Most notably, he notched three pressures and a sack in Tuscaloosa as LSU fell just short of a major upset.

He was named a team captain for the 2022 season along with [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag].

Jones didn’t see as much action this fall with LSU turning to some of its younger linebackers but stepped up in the bowl game playing the JACK position, once again proving his versatility.

In his career, Jones has played safety, linebacker, and served as a pass rusher. Those traits alone should earn him some looks from NFL teams.

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