Tag: B.J. Ojulari.

Is Josh Williams the favorite to wear No. 18?

Josh Williams leadership has stood out with LSU. Could he be rewarded with the No. 18?

When [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] walked on at LSU, not many knew who he was. A two-star recruit just looking to earn his spot at an SEC school.

But last year, Williams emerged as one of LSU’s top contributors. Now on scholarship, he racked up 664 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns.

Williams battled injuries down the stretch, which limited his production, but [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] praised Williams’ leadership several times throughout the year.

At SEC media days, Kelly offered up more of that sentiment.

“He’s a guy that’s respected by so many,” Kelly said.

Kelly highlighted Williams importance to the coaching transition and said Williams reliability was critical. Kelly said what stood out about Williams was his down-to-down reliability. There was a level of trust there.

Williams surpassed 100 total yards in three games last year, which included a game at Arkansas where LSU’s offense couldn’t get much going at all.

All of this could lead to Williams wearing the coveted 18 jersey. Each year, LSU awards 18 to a player that represents the program in the best way possible. Off-the-field accomplishments matter just as much as what the player does on it.

Last year, it was defensive end [autotag]B.J. Ojulari[/autotag].

There are other good candidates. [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] fits the criteria, but he has a connection to the No. 5 jersey and might give it up. There’s [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] too, who joined Daniels and Williams at media day.

LSU’s given out and 18 for offense and defense in the past. That could be an option this year due to the number of candidates. Don’t count out [autotag]Greg Brooks Jr.[/autotag] or [autotag]Major Burns[/autotag], either. Both safeties are leaders of the defense and Louisiana natives that Kelly has praised before.

But right now, Williams has to be the favorite. He’s the former walk-on who fought his way to a starting running back role at a premier SEC school. That’s what the No. 18 is all about.

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LSU’s 2023 class features 15 early enrollees

LSU will welcome a significant portion of its class early.

Speaking on early signing day, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said LSU’s 2023 class will feature 15 early enrollees. However, the group won’t participate in bowl prep.

It’s significantly more than last year, when LSU welcomed just five prospects early. This years early enrollees include but are not limited to WR [autotag]Jalen Brown[/autotag], TE [autotag]Mac Markway[/autotag], and DE [autotag]DaShawn Womack[/autotag].

Getting Womack on campus early is huge as LSU will need time to develop pass rushers following the departure of [autotag]B.J. Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag].

The early enrollees won’t be the only newcomers on campus come spring ball. Kelly said he expects LSU to sign 8-10 transfers as well. Kelly mentioned that the contributions of LSU’s true freshmen in 2022 gave him confidence in playing more true freshmen going forward.

LSU is set to return a lot in 2023. Getting to campus early will give these younger guys a chance to compete with that veteran talent. LSU needed to rely on true freshmen this fall, but Kelly and his staff have done a good job building this roster to where that won’t be necessary in 2023.

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Citrus Bowl provides LSU DE Sai’Vion Jones a chance for a breakout

LSU will need Jones to step up at edge rusher with BJ Ojulari opting out.

LSU will be without star pass rusher [autotag]B.J. Ojulari[/autotag] against Purdue as he opts out to prepare for the 2023 NFL draft.

As he has at points this year, expect [autotag]Sai’vion Jones[/autotag] to step into Ojulari’s role. Jones was one of LSU’s top players in the 2021 recruiting class and one of the best edge recruits in the country.

He didn’t see much time as a freshman, playing just 58 defensive snaps, but when Ojulari was in and out of the lineup in September this fall, there was an opportunity for Smith.

Stepping in against Southern, Jones totaled three pressures and a sack. He added sacks in week three and four too. On the year, Jones had 11 pressures and four sacks. At one point, he was one of the most efficient pass rushers in the SEC, but that production tailed off late in the season.

However, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] still highlighted Jones’ performance against Arkansas, which included a sack.

Jones’ pass rush win rate was just 7.4%, well below Ojulari’s mark of 18%. But Jones’ pass-rush productivity score of 8.0 ranked 11th among SEC edge rushers with at least 80 snaps.

He’s a guy that’s shown flashes, but hasn’t completely put it together. Going forward, LSU is needs Jones to take the next step. Ojulari, along with some members of the secondary, will be LSU’s biggest loss headed into 2023.

Pair that with the expected departure of [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], and edge rusher is a need for LSU.

Jones is the most logical in-house option. There’s also [autotag]Quency Wiggins[/autotag], the talented freshman who took a redshirt this fall and played just two pass rush snaps.

LSU will be adding [autotag]Dashawn Womack[/autotag], a five-star pass rusher from Baltimore, as well.

Wiggins and Womack are talented, but unproven. Jones has yet to prove himself to an extent too, but we know he is a capable SEC player.

An LSU team that expects to compete for a title is going to need more than a couple of freshmen pass rushers.

[autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] was elite coming after the quarterback, but his services will be needed at linebacker, and he isn’t your prototypical front player that can defend the run on the edge.

Jones will get his shot in the bowl game. A strong performance against Purdue would make coaches and fans feel a lot better about what LSU has in 2023.

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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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Pair of LSU players selected in first round of way-too-early 2023 mock draft

Kayshon Boutte and B.J. Ojulari were selected in 247Sports’ initial 2023 mock.

The 2022 NFL draft is finally into the books, but it’s never to early for the Draft Media Industrial Complex to turn its attention to next year’s class of players.

LSU only had one player picked in the first round this year in [autotag]Derek Stingley Jr.[/autotag], who was taken third by the Houston Texans, but the Tigers had 10 players selected in total, not bad for a draft class that was deemed to be below the program’s standards.

Heading into next year’s class, LSU should have a stronger NFL contingent following the first season under new coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag], and in the post-draft 2023 mock from 247Sports’ Blake Brockermeyer, two LSU players are taken in the first round.

The most notable is receiver [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag], who could be set for one of the top pass-catching campaigns in college football. Brockermeyer has him heading to the Minnesota Vikings with the 14th pick, pairing him up with another former LSU wideout in [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag].

Kayshon Boutte’s true sophomore season ended early in 2021, but not before Boutte proved that his freshman season was not a fluke. Boutte looks ready to play in the NFL now and has all the tools to follow in the footsteps of some of the LSU wide receiver greats. Adam Thielen’s getting up there in age and this helps Minnesota replenish its receiving corps with a Bayou partner for Justin Jefferson.

Boutte was in for a wildly productive season before an injury ended his year after just six games. He still finished with more than 500 yards and nine touchdowns, leading the team.

Another player who could be poised for a breakout season is junior edge rusher [autotag]B.J. Ojulari[/autotag]. He has 11 sacks in two years with the Tigers, seven of which came in 2021. He should be a leader of the defense this season, especially with all of the losses it took during the offseason, and he’s heading to the Tennessee Titans at No. 19.

BJ Ojulari is an important piece to perhaps one of the deepest and most talented defensive lines west of Clemson. Ojulari has all the traits to dominate and is a difference-maker up front for the Tigers. The Titans are trying to win up front what with Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry, and Ojulari is another piece to throw in there and keep the energy young.

Former LSU cornerback Eli Ricks, who transferred to Alabama, is also projected as a first-round pick next year.

It’s hard to know exactly how high the ceiling is for this pair of Tigers players, but it wouldn’t be at all surprising for them to hear their names called during the first night of the draft this time next year.

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