Tag: Emery Jones

Trio of LSU stars named preseason All-Americans by Athlon

The Tigers lost a lot of pieces, but they return some elite ones as well.

After suffering considerable losses on both sides of the ball following the 2023 season, the Tigers don’t enter the 2024 season with quite as much hype as they did last year when they began the campaign as a top-five team.

Still, LSU has quite a bit of talent on the roster this coming fall, headlined by a trio of players who were named preseason All-Americans by Athlon. [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] were listed among the offensive and defensive First Team, respectively, while [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] cracked the third team.

Campbell — a bona fide first overall draft pick candidate — enters his junior season and is one of the top offensive lineman in the entire country at left tackle. Perkins, meanwhile, is coming off a bit of a disappointing campaign after a huge true freshman season.

He played mostly off-ball linebacker but could see more action on the weak side this year as LSU tries to figure out how best to use his talent.

Jones, meanwhile, also enters his third season. After some struggles starting as a true freshman, he took a major leap in 2023 as a sophomore becoming one of the SEC’s best tackles.

All three of these players could be poised for huge seasons, and we’ll see if they can crack these lists at the end of the season.

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LSU set to host 4-star offensive tackle on official visit

LSU is contending for one of the top talents in the state of Mississippi.

LSU is dipping into Mississippi as it chases one of the top recruits in the state.

Four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Mario Nash[/autotag] will be at LSU on June 14. Nash recently spoke to On3 about his ongoing recruitment and highlighted what he liked about LSU.

“I like the diversity at LSU and the player development as well,” Nash told On3.

“I feel like it’s a great fit for me because of the physicality and style of play,” Nash said.

Nash noted his admiration for LSU offensive line coach [autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag].

“Coach Davis is the type of coach that will push me to be great. He’s a straightforward guy that tells you like it is,” Nash said.

The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine has Mississippi State in pole position for Nash’s talents with Ole Miss, LSU and Florida State also on the board. Nash’s official visit won’t be his first trip to LSU after he was there last month for the Tigers’s spring game.

The official visit, along with Nash’s relationship with [autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag], could be enough to get LSU in the mix here. LSU’s 2025 class is shaping up to be one of the best in program history, but its far from complete. The Tigers are looking to add two of three more offensive linemen and will need to replenish the offensive tackle position with [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] off to the NFL.

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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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Former LSU offensive tackle Lance Heard commits to Tennessee

Lance Heard appeared in 12 games for the Tigers as a true freshman in 2023.

As was largely expected, former LSU offensive tackle [autotag]Lance Heard[/autotag] made his commitment to Tennessee official on Sunday.

The former five-star recruit from Monroe appeared in 12 games as a true freshman this season, starting one of them at right tackle. Though he appeared poised to compete for a starting role in 2024, he didn’t travel with the team to the ReliaQuest Bowl as coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said he was evaluating his future with the program.

That process ultimately led him to enter the portal, where Tennessee quickly emerged as the favorite to land him. He’ll have three remaining years of eligibility with the Vols.

It’s a tough loss for the Tigers because you never want to lose a prized recruit, especially to an SEC rival, but they do return both starting tackles in 2024. With [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] coming back, the path to the field for Heard wasn’t exactly clear.

Now, he’ll look to compete for a starting job in Knoxville.

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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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Former LSU offensive tackle Lance Heard receives transfer prediction in favor of SEC foe

Lance Heard may be staying in the SEC after entering the transfer portal.

Former LSU offensive tackle [autotag]Lance Heard[/autotag] may be staying in the SEC.

After appearing in 12 games as a true freshman with one start at right tackle, the former five-star recruit from Monroe, Louisiana, opted to enter the transfer portal. And on Friday, he received a prediction in favor of the Tennessee Volunteers from On3.

We’ll see if that ultimately comes to pass given the fact that it was only logged as a 70% confidence prediction. Heard took a visit to Knoxville last weekend followed by a trip to Norman to visit Oklahoma this week.

Many thought Heard could compete for a starting job next season, but with both tackles returning in [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag], it was far from a guarantee.

At least Heard and Tennessee won’t be on LSU’s schedule in 2024, if that is ultimately his transfer decision.

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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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BREAKING: Former 5-star LSU OT Lance Heard enters transfer portal

Lance Heard didn’t travel with the Tigers to Tampa for the ReliaQuest Bowl.

LSU managed to avoid any major losses in the transfer portal, but that changed on the final day before it closed.

On Tuesday, true freshman offensive tackle [autotag]Lance Heard[/autotag] announced his intentions to transfer from LSU after one season. The news wasn’t exactly a surprise as the former five-star recruit from Monroe didn’t travel with the team to Tampa for the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said that Heard —  who ranked as a top-15 prospect nationally coming out of high school — was evaluating his future with the program at the time. In 2023, he appeared in 12 games and made one start at right tackle.

LSU is expected to return both starting tackles in 2024 as [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] are not draft-eligible. Heard didn’t have a clear path to start, but losing the highest-rated recruit from the 2023 signing class will certainly hurt.

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COLUMN: Brad Davis provides safety net for the LSU offense

LSU’s offensive line is set to be one of the best in the conference for years to come.

It’s hard to find good offensive linemen.

No matter the level of football, no matter the league, it’s rare to find five guys that can lineup and block consistently. And if you’re lucky enough to have a solid five, it’s even harder to keep them all healthy over the course of the season.

Depth is usually tested, and more often than not, that test is failed. Even the top programs have trouble stashing competent and experienced players on second line.

LSU struggled with this for a long time. In the final years of the [autotag]Les Miles[/autotag] era, offensive line play started to decline. Ed Orgeron’s first few years weren’t much better, until a veteran line gelled together in 2019.

But after that, it got rough again, and in the summer of 2021, Orgeron hired [autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag] to take over the offensive line.

Davis is a Baton Rouge native and upon arriving at LSU, he was already a SEC veteran who had spent the last year working under Sam Pittman.

Orgeron and LSU agreed to separate later that year, leading Davis to serve as the interim coach for the bowl game as [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] got settled in Baton Rouge.

Kelly came with his own program, wanting to put together his own staff. Assistants who had been at LSU for years, like [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] and [autotag]Tommy Moffitt[/autotag] were let go. But Davis wasn’t, making him the lone assistant from the previous staff.

That decision has paid off with LSU’s offensive line emerging as one of the best in the country, with the future looking bright too.

LSU’s losing a lot on offense next year. Between [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], LSU will be saying bye to the Heisman winner, the nation’s leading receiver, and the FBS leader in receiving touchdowns.

On top of that, someone else will be calling the plays with [autotag]Mike Denbrock[/autotag] taking the job at Notre Dame.

Changes are coming. Turnover is part of college football. But on the offensive line, LSU will have continuity.

[autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] will be back at the tackle spots and there’s plenty of talent returning on the interior too.

Nussmeier will be stepping into a well-protected pocket, which is important given LSU will be taking a step back at receiver and Nussmeier doesn’t possess the same scrambling ability as Daniels.

That’s what this offensive line is, a safety net for an offense about to enter a transition period. Every unit on this team will go through growing pains next year, but the guys up front shouldn’t.

This is positioned to be one of the best offensive lines in the SEC for years to come.

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10 Tigers crack LSWA’s All-Louisiana college football team

LSU is the preeminent program in Louisiana, and it dominates the all-state selections.

LSU is the premier football program in the state of Louisiana, and after a 9-3 season that saw the team deliver one of the most prolific offensive campaigns in recent college football memory, its players litter the LWSA All-Louisiana Team.

[autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] is the headliner having also been named the LWSA’s Offensive Player of the Year. He’s a first-teamer and is joined by his receiving duo of [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], as well as offensive tackles [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag].

LSU added four more players on the Second Team with center [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] on offense and linebacker [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag] and safety Andre Sam on defense. Kicker [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag] was also named to the Second Team.

The Tigers will look to cap off the season with win No. 10 as they take on Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Monday morning.

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