Tag: Brian Kelly

Former LSU safety Ryan Yaites transfers to Cal

Former LSU safety Ryan Yaites is heading to the ACC.

Former LSU safety [autotag]Ryan Yaites[/autotag] found his new home on Monday, telling On3 Sports he’s committing to Cal.

The sophomore safety entered the transfer portal in the spring window after just one year at LSU. He played 124 defensive snaps with the Tigers, notching seven tackles. According to PFF, he allowed five catches in 66 coverage snaps.

Yaites committed to LSU in 2022, choosing the Tigers over Oklahoma. As a recruit, ESPN ranked him as the 11th-best safety in the country. He was the 276th overall recruit in On3’s Industry Ranking.

Now, the Texas native will head out west and join Cal as the Golden Bears head to the ACC.

LSU hasn’t lost a ton to the portal this year, but Yaites would have been a solid piece with Brian Kelly’s program going through a defensive rebuild. Between personnel and coaching changes, a lot will look different on that side of the ball in 2024.

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LSU names Flau’Jae Johnson and Paris Shand Volunteers of the Year

LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson and Paris Shand were recognized for their efforts in the community on Monday.

LSU athletes [autotag]Flau’Jae Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Paris Shand[/autotag] were recognized for their efforts in the community this week. Johnson (women’s basketball) and Shand (football), were named Female Volunteer of the Year and Male Volunteer of The Year.

The honor was part of “The Mikey Awards,” a series of awards recognizing athletes for their performance and work over the last year.

Johnson arrived at LSU in 2022 and made an immediate impact as she emerged as one of the nation’s most dynamic guards, helping lead LSU to its first national title as a freshman. The Savannah native also has also gained notoriety for her musical career that features collaborations with Lil Wayne and NLE Choppa.

Now, she’s being recognized for her work away from the spotlight.

As for Shand, he’s preparing for his fifth year of college football and second at LSU. The veteran defensive linemen transferred to LSU after spending his first three years at Arizona. He’ll look to take another step forward this fall with LSU needing help on the defensive line.

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LSU hosting defensive tackle transfer portal target for visit Monday

The Tigers are hosting big-time transfer Damonic Williams to kick off the week.

With the spring transfer portal window now open, LSU has a clear need at defensive line, particularly along the interior.

It’s been no secret that coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the staff are trying to add experienced defensive tackles to the roster, and one of the top options on the board is uncommitted TCU transfer [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag].

Williams has already taken visits to Oklahoma and Texas, and while he was slated to visit LSU and later Colorado this past weekend, he changed things up. Instead, he visited Missouri this past weekend and will arrive in Baton Rouge for a visit on Monday, per On3’s Shea Dixon.

Dixon reports that the Longhorns are the team to beat at the moment for Williams, but LSU will hope to sway him. Williams, who will be a junior in 2023, has started 27 straight games since arriving at TCU.

He was a Freshman All-American in 2022 and an honorable mention for both All-Big 12 and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2023. In two seasons with the Horned Frogs, he totaled 60 tackles (9.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

LSU is in desperate need of depth at the position after three defensive tackles were drafted in 2024, leaving [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] as the only experienced players at the position.

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LSU QB commit Bryce Underwood shines in 7-on-7 camp

LSU commit Bryce Underwood put on a display in a seven-on-seven tournament in Orlando.

[autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], the top quarterback and overall recruit in the country, is the crown jewel of LSU’s 2025 recruiting class.

When Underwood signs, he’ll become the top-rated QB recruit in LSU’s history. He put that talent on display over the weekend with a standout seven-on-seven performance in Orlando.

Underwood connected with fellow LSU commit [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag] several times throughout the weekend, including this one here, with Underwood delivering a ball over traffic and Berry making the contested catch for a score.

Berry is ranked as the top recruit in Louisiana by all four major recruiting services and is a five-star, according to On3’s Industry Ranking.

Berry wasn’t the only Louisiana product putting on a show. Here, Underwood connects with University High’s Zay Martin for a score. Martin holds offers from Nicholls, FIU and Georgia Tech.

Underwood committed to LSU in January. He’s a consensus five-star and a big reason why the Tigers have the No. 2 ranked class in the country.

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Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow set to square off in 2024

Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow will square off in 2024 as the Commanders and Bengals are set to face off.

[autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] followed in Joe Burrow’s footsteps at LSU. Just five years after Burrow’s historic season, Daniels posted similar numbers, joining Burrow in the Heisman club before going on to be one of the top picks in the NFL draft.

It won’t be long before the two are on the same field. The NFC East and AFC North are set to face each other this fall, meaning we’ll get a Commanders vs. Bengals matchup.

We don’t know the exact date yet with the schedules yet to be released, but we know it’ll take place in Cincinnati.

With Burrow and Daniels playing in different conferences, meetings between the two will be rare, but the game this year is an opportunity for LSU to put its quarterback talent on display.

The franchises are at different stages with the Bengals hoping to contend for a Super Bowl and Washington with a first-year head coach and quarterback, so Burrow could have the upperhand in this one.

Daniels is the lone former Tiger with Washington, but the game should also feature former LSU star receiver [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag].

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2025 5-star safety lists LSU in his top 7

The Tigers made the cut for the top safety in the 2025 class.

The No. 1 safety in the 2025 recruiting class has narrowed his list of final schools down to just seven. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the LSU Tigers made the final cut.

LSU joins Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, Ohio State, USC and Texas as the seven schools that are still in the running for [autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag]. Williams is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound, five-star safety from Galveston, Texas where he plays for Ball High School.

At this time, Oklahoma has received multiple Crystal Ball projections to land Williams on 247Sports and the Sooners are a 94% favorite to land him per On3.

LSU’s 2025 recruiting class is currently ranked as the No. 3 class in the country by 247Sports. The class is headlined by the No. 1 wide receiver, quarterback, and running back in the 2025 class.

[autotag]Dakorien Moore[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], and [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag] all have the ability to be a superstar at LSU. All three of those guys are on the offensive side of the ball so it would be nice to add the No. 1 safety in the class to bolster the defensive side of the ball.

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Malik Nabers to follow in Odell Beckham Jr.’s footsteps with Giants

The Giants will count on Malik Nabers to make a similar rookie impact to Odell Beckham Jr.’s.

The New York Giants selected LSU’s [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] on Thursday night, making him the third LSU receiver since 2010 to be drafted by the franchise, joining [autotag]Odell Beckham Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Reuben Randle[/autotag].

In 2014, the Giants chose Beckham with the 13th pick. Ten years later, New York went back to the well, using another top 10 pick on an LSU pass catcher.

Nabers was the second receiver off the board after Marvin Harrison Jr. went to the Cardinals with the No. 4 pick. Nabers at No. 6 was not a surprise; plenty of mocks slotted him there entering the night.

The Giants will count on Nabers to make the same impact Beckham did as a rookie in 2014. Beckham racked up 1,305 yards in 12 games during his rookie campaign.

Beckham played five seasons with the Giants, totaling 5,746 yards and 44 touchdowns in that span. The two parted ways after Beckham’s initial contract, but those five years worked out pretty well.

If Nabers puts up similar numbers, the Giants will be happy with their pick.

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Brian Kelly says Brian Thomas Jr. is ‘ascending,’ has only scratched surface of ability

Brian Thomas Jr. has been one of the biggest risers during the pre-draft process.

As draft day is now upon us, there are three clear wide receivers at the top of the class in Marvin Harrison Jr., LSU’s [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and Rome Odunze.

However, once you get beyond that group, the next man up could be another LSU star: [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] Thomas has been seen as a first-rounder for most of the cycle, but his stock has soared over the last couple of months after a very impressive NFL combine showing.

Appearing on Good Morning Football with Peter Schrager on Thursday morning, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said he sees Thomas as an incredible athlete who is just starting to realize the full potential of his abilities.

“Ascending in my eyes,” Kelly said. “This is a guy that is just breaking onto the scene. He won a state championship in basketball, he’s just an incredible athlete who I think is scratching the surface. Tall, athletic. He’s not just a guy that runs nine routes. He can run after the catch, he’s very slippery after he catches the football, he can make people miss, I just think he’s a guy who continues to get better and better.”

Thomas has a pretty wide range with which he could be picked, though he is almost certainly going to be a first-round pick. Some mocks project him going in the top 15, while other have him falling toward the end of the round.

But regardless of how long he’s on the board, he’s going to provide a very high-upside receiver for whichever team selects him.

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Brian Kelly had to take away Malik Nabers’ equipment during bowl game because he wanted to keep playing

NFL draft prospects rarely play in bowl games. For Malik Nabers, Brian Kelly had to actively try to keep him off the field.

Heading into the 2024 NFL draft, there are three receiver prospects who are seen as can’t-miss, elite players: Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and LSU’s [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag].

Nabers is widely projected as a top-10 pick, and [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] explained during an appearance on Good Morning Football ahead of the first round of the draft on Thursday morning that while Nabers has all the athletic ability you look for, his drive is what really sets him apart.

“He can do everything, he’s a Swiss army knife,” Kelly said. “You can play him in the slot, you can play him outside, he can beat you one-on-one, all of those things. But he is an ultra-competitive player.”

Kelly relayed an anecdote from the ReliaQuest Bowl when Nabers made the somewhat surprising decision not to opt out. He ultimately set the program’s all-time receiving record in the game before sitting the rest of the way.

But now we know that wasn’t his choice. Kelly had to take away his equipment to keep him from checking back into the game.

“I had to take his equipment from him in the bowl game when most guys, you can’t even get them to play in a bowl game,” he said. “So this is a guy who loves to play the game of football, and in this day and age, sometimes it’s about guys that love to play. And he just loves to play the game.”

It’s clear motivation is not a problem for Nabers, and that will certainly be a desirable trait as he looks to make it at the next level.

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Brian Kelly explains what NFL teams will be getting with Jayden Daniels

“You can turn on the film and you can find the extraordinary things. But I think he does the ordinary things extraordinarily well,” Kelly said.

As we prepare for the start of the 2024 NFL draft, [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] is likely to hear his name called early.

The former LSU quarterback and 2023 Heisman winner is widely considered the class’ No. 2 quarterback behind Caleb Williams, and most mock drafts have him going second off the board to the Washington Commanders.

On the morning of the draft, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] made an appearance on Good Morning Football with Peter Schrager, and he explained what exactly Daniels brings to the table at the next level.

“You can turn on the film and you can find the extraordinary things,” Kelly said. “But I think he does the ordinary things extraordinarily well. And that’s the thing that you look at. He doesn’t turn the football over, he manages the game extremely well… he’s a guy that’s going to work from 5:30 in the morning until late at night.”

Kelly was asked about what is perceived to be the biggest question about Daniels: his ability to sustain hits. He had some issues with taking unnecessary hits in college, which led to fumbles and, a couple of times, injuries.

However, Kelly said that is a much more preferable concern to have than something like Daniels being turnover-prone.

“If that’s the only thing we’re worried about, I think that’s a good thing,” Kelly said. “If you’re saying at times he maybe needs to learn how to slide, I’ll take that.”

We’ll soon know where Daniels is playing his professional ball, but all signs currently point to the nation’s capital.

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