Tag: DJ Chester

Coveted IOL Kayden Strayhorn breaks down LSU, other top contenders

Kayden Strayhorn is a legacy at Michigan State, but a recent LSU offer seems to have grabbed his attention.

LSU got in the game a bit late for [autotag]Kayden Strayhorn[/autotag], a three-star interior lineman in the 2025 class. The Tigers offered him just a few weeks ago, but they seem to have made a strong impression early on as they’re one of three schools that has secured an official visit from him.

Strayhorn will visit LSU on June 14, as well as Ohio State and Michigan, which appear to be his top three schools at the moment.

A product of IMG Academy who is originally from Detroit and a legacy at Michigan State, Strayhorn recently spoke with Isaiah Hole of Wolverines Wire about his top contenders, including the Tigers.

Strayhorn said that LSU offensive line coach [autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag] flew specifically to meet with him and his father. After two hours, Davis made a scholarship offer to Strayhorn.

“For them I’ve never been there before,” he said. “They came on the Monday we had an A-day practice and the offensive line coach is super close with my offensive line coach. And, he came and he actually only flew just to see me and he talked with me and my dad for like two hours and offered me and told me, ‘We want to do this thing and get you here.’”

Strayhorn added that LSU has pitched him on its lack of center depth. After [autotag]Charles Turner III[/autotag] departed for the draft — in a move that surprised the Tigers, according to Strayhorn — guard [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag] is expected to start at center in 2024.

“They think, based off what happened with their center — so they had they had a center Charles Turner from IMG actually, and they wanted him to come back,” Strayhorn said. “And so he told him he was going to come back. So the guy that they already had moved behind him into the portal. And then a few weeks later, Charles decided to enter the draft. So they literally don’t have a true center. They have a guard playing center right now for this upcoming year. So the coach sees the position they’re in and sees me as the fix.

“So that’s what interests me in them and then also just — if you see they have the No. 1 offensive line in college football this year. Two first-round tackles. And it’s just the pedigree of what they’ve had before. And, you know, it’s Louisiana State University – it’s a big deal. So I think that’s definitely what drives me to be interested in taking the official visit and I’m looking forward to that one for sure.”

Strayhorn ranks as the No. 426 recruit in the country per the 247Sports composite rankings. He holds no crystal ball predictions at the moment, but the Spartans are the favorite for the son of former MSU defensive tackle and current broadcaster Jason Strayhorn according to the On3 prediction machine.

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LSU has the No. 1 offensive line in the country per On3

Will Campbell and Emery Jones are the cornerstones of an offensive line group that strikes fear in the eyes of opposing defensive coordinators.

It is a widely known fact that the LSU Tigers have the two best offensive tackles in the NCAA this year. [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] are the cornerstones of an offensive line group that strikes fear in the eyes of opposing defensive coordinators.

Garrett Nussmeier sleeps a lot better at night knowing that his blindside is safe every time he drops back to throw. Hopefully, the running game will make a huge improvement from 2023 to 2024 as well.

Recently, On3 ranked the top 10 offensive line units as we get ready to head into the 2024 season. They have LSU as the No. 1 team and here is their analysis of why.

The Tigers have a pair of potential 2025 Top 10 picks at offensive tackle this fall, as Will Campbell and Emery Jones enter their junior seasons with two years of starting experience.

Campbell is in contention for the No. 1 overall pick next April, while Jones graded out as the fourth-best tackle in the SEC in 2023, per PFF. LSU also returns both starting guards in Miles Frazier and Garrett Dellinger. The Tigers are breaking in a new starting center (DJ Chester), but if there’s one concern with the unit, it’s that the depth was sapped a bit by the portal departures of Lance Heard and Marlon Martinez.

Even with the losses of Heard and Martinez to the portal, this offensive line has the chance to be one of the best in program history.

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Pair of LSU offensive lineman plan to return in 2024

The Tigers will be bringing four of five starting offensive linemen back in 2024.

LSU is set to return four of its five starters along the offensive line.

Both starting guards [autotag]Garrett Dellinger[/autotag] and [autotag]Miles Frazier[/autotag] plan to return to Baton Rouge in 2024 despite being draft-eligible, they reportedly told On3’s Shea Dixon. With tackles [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] not being draft-eligible, center [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] is the only starter who won’t be back next season.

The pair has seen a lot of action in the last few seasons. Dellinger has started 23 of 34 games he’s appeared in over the last three seasons, including all 13 this past fall. Frazier, meanwhile, is a transfer from Florida International and has started all but one of the 26 games he’s appeared in since joining the Tigers in 2022.

LSU has seen some losses along the offensive line as [autotag]Lance Heard[/autotag] entered the portal and [autotag]Mason Lunsford[/autotag] retired, but it brings back a lot of starting experience and a promising young center in [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag], who will likely replace Turner.

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Analysis: LSU’s Lance Heard enters the transfer portal

Here’s what LSU is losing with offensive tackle Lance Heard hitting the transfer portal.

The transfer portal window is now closed, but LSU took one of its biggest hits at the buzzer this week.

Offensive linemen [autotag]Lance Heard[/autotag] entered the portal. It was no surprise after Heard didn’t travel for the bowl game as head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said Heard was evaluating his role with the program.

The writing was on the wall here.

Out of all the Tigers to hit the portal, Heard is the most talented. There’s no getting around that. He was a five-star recruit in 2023 and according to PFF, he was the top-graded freshman offensive lineman. This is a guy that’s ready to play now.

Where does this leave LSU?

The offensive line will be fine. [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] are two of the best in the SEC, and there are enough pieces that the interior will work itself out.

But if Heard was on the roster, that would allow LSU to play him at right tackle and bump Jones to guard. The bottom line is with Campbell, Jones and Heard, LSU had three tackles that are capable of playing at an All-SEC level.

That’s something you usually don’t find and an incredible luxury.

Now, LSU doesn’t have that luxury. It’ll be counting on Campbell and Jones to stay healthy, which they’ve done so far, and another young lineman to make a jump.

LSU signed two more blue-chip tackles in the 2023 class, [autotag]Tyree Adams[/autotag] and [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag]. Adams played just three offensive snaps this year and Chester has a bright future, but it’s at the center position.

LSU doesn’t have an immediate answer to solve its depth issue at tackle now. And again, every team in the country has depth issues on the offensive line. That’s what made LSU having Campbell, Jones and Heard so special.

[autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag] is one of the best offensive line coaches in the business and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he had Adams ready to compete on the two-deep next year. [autotag]Bo Bordelon[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Mubenga[/autotag] were three-star recruits who could pan out too.

Or maybe it’s one of the 2024 signees like [autotag]Weston Davis[/autotag] or [autotag]Ethan Calloway[/autotag], two more blue-chip tackle recruits set to join that room.

Regardless, LSU needs an answer now. Heard was projected as an All-American level player. That’s now one less player of that caliber on LSU’s roster.

It’s on Davis to develop another one of these guys to fill that gap.

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LSU center Charles Turner declares for 2024 NFL draft

LSU will lose the most experienced player on its offensive line.

LSU is set to return most of its production along the offensive line in 2024, but it will lose one starter as center [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] opted to enter the NFL draft instead of returning to Baton Rouge for his final season of eligibility.

The move doesn’t come as a surprise. Turner accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl last month, seemingly indicating he planned to turn pro. The sixth-year senior was a three-star recruit out of IMG Academy in Florida by way of Canton, Ohio, and he appeared in 40 games over his five seasons at LSU, starting all 25 over the last two seasons.

Turner’s backup, [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag], entered the transfer portal following the conclusion of the 2023 season. That would likely open the door for [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag] to compete for a starting role in 2024.

A former top-150 prospect in the 2023 class with a lot of versatility, Chester redshirted in 2023 after appearing in four games.

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LSU center Charles Turner accepts Senior Bowl invitation

Charles Turner accepted a Senior Bowl invite, signaling his LSU departure.

LSU center [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] accepted a Senior Bowl invite this week, signaling the end of his LSU career.

Turner, one of the few remaining holdovers from the 2019 national title team, had one year of eligibility remaining.

Turner played sparingly his first few years in Baton Rouge but took over the starting center job early in 2022 and started every game in 2023, finishing his LSU career with 1,684 offensive snaps.

A product of IMG Academy in Florida, Turner was a three-star in LSU’s 2019 class and the eighth-best center in the country.

Turner had a productive season, ranking third among SEC centers in PFF pass-blocking grade.

Turner isn’t projected to be an early-round selection, but a solid performance at the Senior Bowl can catch the eye of some teams and make him a sought-after late-round selection.

With Turner leaving, LSU is well positioned at center. [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag], who saw some time in 2023, is expected to be LSU’s future at the position.

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Brian Kelly addresses Charles Turner’s injury, depth at center

An injury to Charles Turner opened the door for true freshman DJ Chester to see some action.

LSU’s depth along the offensive line was put to the test in Saturday’s 49-39 win over Missouri.

Starting center [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] exited the game with what coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] called a hyperextended knee after the game as the team turned to another veteran in [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag], who battled for the starting job in the offseason.

Martinez had some uncharacteristic struggles, which led the team to get true freshman DJ Chester’s feet wet. One of the top signees in LSU’s 2023 class, Kelly had high praise for Chester’s play.

“Knee, he had hyperextension of his knee, Kelly said. “We put Martinez in, and for some reason — he’s been really, really good — he had an off day today. He’ll bounce back. So we put DJ in, the true freshman. And he was unflappable. He went in there and didn’t seem to bother him. The moment was really big. And he handled himself really well.’

We’ll monitor Turner’s status throughout the week, but if he’s not able to go on Saturday, it could open the door for more opportunities for Chester.

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2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 79 DJ Chester

DJ Chester is a true freshman and former four-star offensive tackle.

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 going to be looking at one of the prized offensive lineman recruits in the 2023 recruiting class. [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag] was a four-star offensive tackle from McDonough, Georgia where he played for Eagles Landing Christian Academy. He will be looking to make an impact this fall.

DJ Chester Preseason Player Profile

LOOK: Final members of LSU’s 2023 signing class arrive on campus

The Tigers added their remaining 12 signees on Monday.

The LSU football team welcomed the final remaining members of its 2023 signing class to campus on Monday.

Many players who inked their letters of intent during the early signing period were already on campus as the Tigers had 13 early enrollees this spring. However, that still left 12 signees to enroll, including several of the top prospects in the recruiting class.

Now, the rest of those players have matriculated in Baton Rouge.

The official LSU football Twitter account made a video about the players arriving, including top signees like offensive tackle [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag] — a five-star prospect who ranks in the top-15 nationally — in addition to receiver [autotag]Shelton Sampson[/autotag], interior offensive lineman [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Ka’Morreun Pimpton[/autotag] and others.

LSU had one of the nation’s best signing classes in 2023, ranking sixth nationally per 247Sports and fifth according to On3. Many of these players could make an immediate impact, and one thing is certain: The Tigers’ roster got a lot better on Monday.

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OL Kardell Thomas leaving LSU as a graduate transfer

Thomas appeared in 11 games with two starts in four seasons with the Tigers.

The Tigers are set to return four of five starters on the offensive line as things currently stand, but they’re set to lose quite a bit of depth.

That depth situation got even worse on Wednesday as junior offensive lineman [autotag]Kardell Thomas[/autotag] opted to enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Thomas appeared in 11 games in four seasons with two starts, both of which came in 2021. He appeared in four games this fall.

Thomas is a former consensus top-100 recruit from University Lab High School in Baton Rouge and a five-star recruit per the 247Sports Composite, will have two remaining years of eligibility.

With Thomas gone, LSU will look to players like [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag], as well as true freshmen [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag] and [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag], as depth options for the 2023 season.

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