Tag: Ali Gaye

Maason Smith could have a breakout season for LSU

Smith impressed as a true freshman, and he’s expected to take a leap this fall.

With so many new faces on this year’s LSU roster, there are a number of positions of concern entering into the season. Defensive line is not among them.

The Tigers have a talented group that features veterans [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], as well as edge rusher [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag], who is expected to be one of the SEC’s best pass rushers.

But perhaps the most intriguing member of the group is [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag], a sophomore and former five-star recruit who appeared in nine games and started four during an impressive true freshman campaign in 2021. Smith is expected to have a breakout season, and he was listed by Athlon as one of 50 breakout candidates in college football this fall.

Smith may not post huge statistics as the anchor in the middle of LSU’s defensive line, but the trajectory of his career in Baton Rouge is clearly pointing up. The Louisiana native impressed with 19 stops (five for a loss) and four sacks in nine games as a true freshman last fall.

As mentioned above, Smith may not rake in the stats this season. But his 6-foot-5, 300-pound frame makes him an absolute menace up front that should hinder opponents’ rushing attacks while also wreaking havoc on passing downs.

LSU expects big things from Smith this year, and after the season he turned in last year, he should take a major leap in Year 1 with [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] as his defensive coordinator.

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Kayshon Boutte and BJ Ojulari headline group of Tigers on PFF’s All-SEC team

According to PFF, LSU has plenty of talent to rely upon this fall

LSU might still have some depth issues as it makes its way out of the coaching transition, but there’s plenty of talent at the top.

PFF released its 2022 All-SEC projections and plenty of Tigers made the list.

WR [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] was the only representation LSU has on the first team. Boutte is expected to be one of the best playmakers in the country and a first-round pick in 2023. However, he’s coming off a season where an injury ended his year.

The second-team defense had a few Tigers. DE [autotag]B.J. Ojulari[/autotag] and DT [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] made the cut.

Both Ojulari and Roy have the talent to be first-round picks next spring.

LB [autotag]Micah Baskerville[/autotag] joined Ojulari and Roy on the second team. Brian Kelly recently spoke about how crowded their linebacker room was but said Baskerville is a player that will certainly help them.

Down on the third team, LSU had a total of five appearances. WR [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag] was recognized on offense. LSU will need a reliable player like Beck to compliment some of the playmakers they have on the outside.

On the third team defense, LSU was represented by DE [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], LB [autotag]Mike Jones[/autotag], CB [autotag]Mekhi Garner[/autotag], and CB [autotag]Jarrick Bernard-Converse[/autotag].

This would suggest that LSU is capable of having a pretty good defense this year. Positions that were once concerns now have players projected to be some of the best in the SEC.

If DC Matt House can get that system installed, LSU will create problems for opposing offenses.

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Tigers’ defensive line expected to be one of the SEC’s best

LSU returns a lot of production up front on defense this fall.

There are several position groups on the field where the Tigers can feel exceedingly confident heading into the 2022 season. On defense, the line of scrimmage stands out as the major strength.

We got a taste of what the unit is capable of during LSU’s spring game, in which the pass rush looked about as impressive as it can when you’re not allowed to touch the opposing quarterback. Led by edge rushers [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], as well as a sophomore former five-star in [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] and veteran [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] on the interior, the group could be dominant this season.

And the depth goes well beyond that with players like [autotag]Saivion Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] and [autotag]Zavier Carter[/autotag] providing more promise to the rotation. Given all these factors, it’s unsurprising On3’s Jesse Simonton ranked the Tigers’ defensive line/EDGE group as the SEC’s second best behind only Alabama, which features arguably the best player in the country in edge rusher Will Anderson.

The Tigers have one of the deepest DL rooms in the nation, with a slew of former Top 100 recruits primed for big 2022 seasons. LSU utilized a four-man front last season, but it’s switching to a more hybrid three-linemen look under new DC Matt House. Gaye will provide pressure off one edge, with potential 2023 1st Round pick B.J. Ojulari firing off the other side as a BUCK/JACK rusher. Meanwhile, Roy and former 5-star Maason Smith bring serious interior juice. LSU recorded a solid 38 sacks and 98 tackles for loss in 2021 — two numbers likely to improve with the further development of Ojulari, Roy, Smith and Soni Fonua. LSU also added defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo out of the transfer portal, snagging the 2021 Freshman All-American from Missouri.

After the defense lagged behind in the two seasons coming off the national title in 2019, expectations are high for House to turn things around. With a line like this anchoring the unit, it could be set to take a major step forward.

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BJ Ojulari named to the preseason Nagurski Trophy watch list

The Nagurski Trophy is given to the top defender in college football, regardless of position.

LSU saw another player crack an award watch list on Tuesday as edge rusher [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] was one of 85 players named to the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is given annually to the top defensive player in college football, regardless of position.

Ojulari enters his junior season with high expectations, and if he can stay healthy, he should be one of the best edge rushers in the SEC, if not the entire country.

After making an immediate impact in the rotation as a true freshman in 2020, Ojulari became a full-time starter last fall. He played in every game, leading the team in sacks with seven and finishing second in tackles for loss with 11.5. He’ll look to become the second LSU player to win the Nagurski Trophy, joining [autotag]Glenn Dorsey[/autotag] in 2007.

Ojulari enters his third season expected to take his play up a notch, and many see him as a potential first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Playing next to [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] should give the Tigers one of the best edge-rushing duos in the country as the defense hopes to take a leap forward in 2022 under new defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag].

LSU now has three players on preseason watch lists, with Ojulari joining [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] and [autotag]Micah Baskerville[/autotag], who are on the lists for the Biletnikoff and Butkus awards, respectively. The full 85-man list for the Nagurski Trophy can be found here.

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Pair of LSU defenders rank among college football’s best edge rushers

Expectations are high for BJ Ojulari and Ali Gaye in 2022.

There are a lot of question marks for LSU in 2022. Defensive end is not one of them.

It returns [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], both immensely talented players with two years of significant experience under their belt. Pro Football Focus sees it the same way, ranking Ojulari and Gaye as two of the best 25 edge defenders in college football.

Ojulari ranked third among SEC defensive ends in pressures last season. He signed as a top 100 recruit in 2019 and if he performs well this fall, will be a first-round pick next spring.

Gaye played in just four games last year before his season was cut short by an injury. In that span, Gaye did about everything you could ask for. According to PFF, his pass rush productivity score was third in the SEC among edge defenders who played at least 100 snaps. Gaye has the skills that make him a tantalizing prospect to NFL scouts.

LSU’s secondary is a question mark this year. If Ojulari and Gaye can get pressure on the quarterback, the Tigers’ defense will be in a good position. The better the defensive line is, the more freedom it gives to the defensive coordinator on the back end.

LSU should reap those benefits in 2022.

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Four LSU players named to preseason All-SEC teams

Four Tigers players are represented on the preseason all-conference teams.

Though the Tigers lost the third overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft this offseason in Derek Stingley Jr., they still return a lot of experienced talent. That was apparent when the preseason All-SEC teams were announced on Friday as a number of LSU players occupied the list.

The teams were determined by polling members of the media in attendance at SEC Media Days in Atlanta this week. They were also polled on preseason division standings, in which they had Alabama and Georgia facing off once again in the SEC Championship with the Tigers finishing fifth in the SEC West.

In total, four LSU players grace the preseason All-SEC teams. Here’s a rundown on where each of them landed.

Five veterans who need to huge contributions in 2022

These five key veterans could be the reason for a successful 2022 season

We recently dove into the young guns who are looking for bigger seasons in their sophomore campaigns. The LSU Tigers have a group of veterans that will be counted on for the leadership and accountability within the team.

One veteran that we didn’t circle is wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. He returns for his junior campaign after setting the world on fire as a sophomore. It was short-lived as he suffered an injury in game six of the year. At the time he was the most productive receiving weapon on the team and in the SEC. Boutte should return to form in 2022.

Among the others, we look at two returning defenders in need of big seasons to boost their draft stock. The Tigers also have a senior quarterback that hasn’t been able to stay healthy, a returning running back, and a newcomer on defense.

We breakdown the five veteran LSU Tigers that need to lead this team in the first year of the Brian Kelly era.

LSU’s biggest strength heading into 2022

Despite their questions, LSU does have a couple of strengths to lean on ahead of 2022.

There is no question that the LSU Tigers have a lot to address this offseason as they head into spring football. The new staff found themselves with more questions than answers when they agreed to come to Baton Rouge.

Prior to the signing period and the litany of incoming transfers, they had just one quarterback on scholarship with Myles Brennan still in the transfer portal, Max Johnson on his way to College Station, and Walker Howard had yet to sign with LSU.

The team also had to deal with a mass exodus at the cornerback position, but there were a couple of groups where the team had a strength. Despite the loss of leading rusher Ty Davis-Price to the NFL draft, running back had plenty of capable guys in that room to carry the load in 2022.

They return former five-star signee John Emery Jr to the team. He had to sit out the 2021 campaign due to an eligibility issue. In the two seasons on the field, Emery tallied a total of 566 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Not exactly monster numbers in two seasons but he was splitting time with Ty Davis-Price in 2020 and the backup to Clyde Edwards-Helaire in 2019.

Emery is viewed as the starter with some help from former Penn State running back Noah Cain, who transferred into the program. The team also has former Ohio ‘Mr. Football’ in sophomore Corey Kiner. You can add Armoni Goodwin, Tre Bradford, and Josh Williams to the mix. The team could also have a four-star freshman in the fold. TreVonte’ Citizen has yet to make up his mind as to where he will play in 2022. The Auburn Tigers and Florida Gators are among those in the mix for his commitment.

Regardless of whether Citizen signs with his home-state team or not, the running back room has plenty of talent. Emery, Cain, and Kiner are likely the three backs who could see the most playing time next season. This isn’t to take anything about from a wide receiver group that returns one of the best in the nation, Kayshon Boutte.

What about on the defensive side of the ball?

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Senior defensive end Ali Gaye set to return in 2022

One more year for Ali Gaye

Another boost to the LSU defense for the 2022 season. Ali Gaye announced on Instagram his intentions to return for one more year.

After transferring from Garden City Community College in 2020, Gaye spent two seasons with the Tigers. In his first season in Baton Rouge, he accumulated 32 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, two sacks, and three turnovers in 2020. Gaye was expected to make a jump in both production and in his draft stock.

In 2021, Gaye only played in four games before he was shut down for the season due to injury. He accounted for 19 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks in those four games. Gaye’s return will give the Tigers’ defense two experienced starters on the edges along with BJ Ojulari.

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LSU will have a solid front once again with Maason Smith and Jaquelin Roy among the starting candidates next to Gaye and Ojulari. New defensive line coach Jamar Cain will have plenty of options to deploy his pass rush attack in the 2022 campaign.

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More injuries to add to a ridiculous growing list

This injury list is getting a bit ridiculous.

It has just been one bad blow after bad blow for the LSU Tigers. Going into Saturday, it felt manageable for the team. However, since Sunday it has just gotten worse as the Florida game gets closer.

Since that point, the team has lost Kayshon Boutte, Joseph Evans, Eli Ricks, and Ali Gaye for the season. Major Burns is out until at least the Alabama game on Nov. 6.

Based on the number of growing injuries, it is hard to justify how this game against Florida can come out in their favor.

Player Position Injury Status
Andre Anthony DE Knee out for season
Kayshon Boutte WR undisclosed out for season
Myles Brennan QB arm out indefinitely
Major Burns DB undisclosed out Saturday
John Emery Jr RB Academics out for season
Joseph Evans DT undisclosed out for season
Ali Gaye DE undisclosed out for season
Glen Logan DT foot available
Eli Ricks DB undisclosed out for season
Jared Small LB undisclosed out for season
Deion Smith WR undisclosed doubtful
Derek Stingley Jr DB Foot out indefinitely

Gaye was the latest player to be out according to Brody Miller of The Athletic.

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