Tag: Kyren Lacy

Huge risk/reward receiver declares for 2025 NFL draft

Kyren Lacy is an incredibly talented receiver but still a risky pick.

The wide receiver class of the 2025 NFL draft is shaping up to be very deep. This group is headlined by a minimum of five receivers who should go in the first round and then a second tier of receivers who have the talent to go in the top 60 picks but all of them have flaws that could tank their draft stock.

One of these high-risk/high-reward receivers who just declared for the draft is former LSU wideout Kyren Lacy. Lacy posted on social media his time at LSU is over and he’s heading on to the NFL.

 

Lacy is a tough player to scout because teams have to take into consideration more than just his development as a wide receiver. 2024 finally showed Lacy making the most of his skill set on the field and at times he looked like a first-round prospect. But there are concerns about his maturity on the field and a team has to weigh out if he’s grown up enough to warrant a high draft pick. The best thing for Lacy would be to land with a team where he isn’t asked tobe the No. 1 and the team already has a stable veteran group who can mentor him.

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Is LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton returning in 2025?

Is LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. expected to return in 2025?

This is roster movement season. Hundreds of players around the sport announce their intentions to enter the transfer portal, enter the NFL Draft, or return to school for another year.

We’ve heard decisions from several key LSU players. LT Will Campbell, RT Emery Jones, and TE Mason Taylor all declared for the draft. CJ Daniels entered the transfer portal. Starting QB Garrett Nussmeier decided to return to school for a fifth year.

One Tiger we’ve yet to hear from is wide receiver Chris Hilton.

Hilton just completed his redshirt junior year with the Tigers and has another season of eligibility remaining.

LSU had high hopes for Hilton in 2025. With [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr[/autotag]. off to the NFL, Hilton was supposed to replace that big play potential. Unfortunately, Hilton dealt with an injury for most of 2024 and struggled to settle back into the lineup.

Finally, in LSU’s regular-season finale win over Oklahoma, something clicked. 

Nussmeier connected with Hilton for two deep touchdown shots. The big play threat LSU was seeking all year was there.

Hilton is yet to have a true full-time role with LSU, but there’s one waiting if he returns. LSU is losing [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] and had to turn to the transfer portal to restock the receiver room.

Players like [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Barion Brown[/autotag] will come up big for LSU in the quick game and over the middle, but the Tigers need that burner that can take the top off a defense and make a play down the sideline.

That’s [autotag]Chris Hilton.[/autotag]

Tiger fans should expect clarity on Hilton’s future in the coming weeks, but LSU head coach Kelly has yet to reveal anything.

LSU football makes final five for elite transfer portal prospect

The top-ranked player in the transfer portal included LSU in his top five

LSU football is in the mix for the top-ranked player in the transfer portal.

Former Georgia Tech wide receiver Eric Singleton told On3 his top five schools, and LSU was joined by Auburn, Miami, Texas, and Ole Miss. According to 247Sports and On3, Singleton is the No. 1 ranked transfer in the 2025 cycle.

With the Yellow Jackets in 2024, the sophomore receiver caught 56 passes for 754 yards. In 2023, Singleton hauled in 48 passes for 714 yards and six scores. He’s a versatile playmaker and added 21 carries for 131 yards in 2024.

With 2.23 yards per route run, Singleton ranked eighth among ACC receivers in 2024.

Coming out of high school, Singleton was a three-star prospect and ranked outside the top 1000. The Douglasville, GA native has well exceeded those expectations.

LSU already added one receiver from the transfer portal, signing former Kentucky playmaker Barion Brown. Singleton is of a similar mold, but LSU needs pass-catching help with [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] heading to the draft and [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] entering the transfer portal.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly signaled the Tigers would be aggressive this transfer season. LSU has been ambitious so far, getting involved with the portal’s top players.

As of Saturday, LSU has signed three transfers. Brown, cornerback Ja’Keem Jackson, and tight end Bauer Sharp.

Could Kentucky transfer wide receiver Barion Brown fit at LSU?

Could this Kentucky wide receiver transfer be a fit for LSU’s offense?

LSU lost three wide receivers to the transfer portal in the week following the regular season making the position a prime need for LSU this cycle.

Tigers’ head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] hinted at an aggressive approach with the transfer portal in 2025 and wideouts will be a top priority.

One potential fit is receiver Barion Brown. He announced his intention to enter the portal following a three-year campaign at Kentucky where he totaled 2,407 all-purpose yards.

In Brown’s freshman and sophomore seasons, he totaled 628 and 539 receiving yards, respectively. His production decreased in 2024 as he hauled in 29 catches for 361 yards along with 13 carries for 50 yards. The versatile playmaker is looking to be a high-level contributor at his next school.

In addition to LSU. Ole Miss and Texas A&M are expected to target the Nashville, TN native once he hits the portal. Following Vanderbilt’s breakout season, don’t be surprised if the Commodores show interest.

LSU’s 2025 outlook at receiver is unclear. [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] is expected to return but Chris Hilton’s status remains a mystery. Outside of those two, the Tigers lack experienced options.

With [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] off to the NFL and [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] in the portal, a significant chunk of production is being lost.

Given Kelly’s comments regarding the transfer portal approach combined with LSU’s own losses, Brown makes perfect sense as an early target for the Tigers.

Why LSU should target former NC State receiver in transfer portal

Names are already flooding the transfer portal. Should LSU target a former NC State receiver?

Transfer portal season is about to kick into high gear. With LSU football out of the playoff discussion, the Tigers can turn their attention to building for 2025.

LSU wasn’t aggressive in the portal last year, but Tigers’ head coach Brian Kelly told fans to expect a different approach this year. LSU is going to be active in the portal.

The portal officially opens next week, but a handful of players already announced their intention to transfer.

That list includes NC State wide receiver Kevin Concepcion.

Concepcion broke out as a true freshman in 2023 with the Wolfpack. His 845 yards and 10 touchdowns were some of the best marks in the country among underclassmen receivers.

He returned with high hopes in 2024. but the entire NC State offense struggled, including Concepcion.

Concepcion caught 53 passes for 460 yards in 2024. His yards per catch was down an entire three yards and his catch rate was down 8%.

But NC State saw a lack of production across the board and the talent is still evident.

LSU is losing receiver [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] but may return [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Aaron Anderson.[/autotag] The Tigers could use a true X receiver and Concepcion fits that mold.

I’d expect LSU to target a receiver if the fit makes sense and it does here.

Oklahoma Sooners lose finale 37-17 to the LSU Tigers

The Oklahoma Sooners offense stagnated and the defense gave up a number of big plays in their 37-17 loss to the LSU Tigers.

There was a lot of optimism heading into the Bayou as the Oklahoma Sooners were looking to build off of a strong performance against the Alabama Crimson Tide in Week 13. But the LSU Tigers put together an impressive performance on offense and the Sooners weren’t able to respond in a 37-17 loss to the close the 2024 regular season.

The Oklahoma Sooners deferred to start the game and forced a punt on LSU’s opening drive of the game. But the Sooners offense struggled to get going and LSU was able to make something happen on their second drive of the game when Garrett Nussmeier found Kyren Lacy for an 18-yard touchdown.

Oklahoma punted the ball back on their next possession, but with LSU facing a third-and-10, Gracen Halton created pressure up the middle and as Garrett Nussmeier attempted to elude the rush, Halton swiped the ball away and R Mason Thomas recovered it and returned it for a game-tying score.

After the two teams traded punts, the game looked like it might turn in OU’s favor when Thomas beat projected first-round pick Will Campbell around the edge and hit Nussmeier, who landed hard on his throwing shoulder. But a big run from Caden Durham set up an LSU field goal to give them the 10-7 lead.

Oklahoma answered right back, though, as Jackson Arnold connected with J.J. Hester for a 50-yard strike to get the Sooners offense going. Arnold then picked up 28 yards on the ground, and Xavier Robinson punched it in for the two-yard score to give the Sooners a 14-10 lead.

But the lead was short-lived as Aaron Anderson took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

Though OU answered with a field goal, the momentum was clearly in the hands of the Tigers.

Nussmeier returned to the game with just over two minutes remaining in the half, and after a few short passes to get the ball moving, the LSU quarterback hit Chris Hilton Jr. for a 40-yard touchdown with Eli Bowen in coverage.

Oklahoma elected to run out the clock to end the first half trailing 24-17.

The second half saw the Sooners punt on their opening possession. The Tigers then found another big pass play as Nussmeier connected with Hilton for another score, this time a 45-yard strike and again with Bowen in coverage.

That put the Sooners in a position they didn’t want to be in, forced to throw down multiple scores, and Arnold couldn’t create enough in the passing game to move the football. The LSU Tigers’ pass rush was simply able to tee off at that point with little concern for the Sooners’ passing attack.

And with that, the Oklahoma Sooners first season in the SEC ends with a whimper. There was a lot of hope after Oklahoma earned a big win over Alabama a week ago, but outside of the quarterback run game, the Sooners offense was back to their inconsistent ways.

Robinson suffered a groin injury during the game but he and the offensive line weren’t nearly as good this week as they were a year ago. The LSU Tigers defense held the Sooners to 277 total yards, with 167 coming on the ground. 75 of those rushing yards came from Arnold.

Through the air, Arnold was 14 of 21 for 110 yards in the loss. 50 of those yards came on the deep ball to Hester. Otherwise, Arnold had just 60 passing yards on his other 20 attempts, or just three yards per attempt.

For the game, LSU put up 395 total yards and were 8-of-17 on third and fourth down. Nussmeier, who battled back from the shoulder injury finished the game 22 of 31 for 277 yards and three touchdowns.

This wasn’t at all the performance that many were expecting after how well OU played a week ago against Alabama. But LSU provided a different challenge and Oklahoma couldn’t keep up with their passing attack.

The Sooners close the season 6-6 and have a lot of questions they’ll have to answer on the offensive side of the ball.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Steelers go for risky receiver in new mock draft

Ryan Fowler has the Steelers taking a huge risk in the first round of his new mock draft.

There are very few players who I would consider undraftable when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But at some point, the level of talent just can’t overcome the potential personality problems.

But in this new mock draft by Ryan Fowler at The Draft Network, they have the Steelers picking exactly one of those guys. In Fowler’s new mock draft, he has the Steelers selecting LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy with the No. 26 overall pick. Here’s what he had to say about the pick:

Kyren Lacy continues to impress as the weeks go on. That second tier of wideouts remains fluid, and Lacy has become a popular name to potentially headline the group. In Pittsburgh, the LSU product slides in to play opposite of George Pickens with the nuance and playmaking ability to up Arthur Smith’s playbook a bit. He and Pickens would be a nightmare to counter each week.

The Steelers have enough to deal with having George Pickens and his immaturity, the last thing they need is to add more of that into the mix at the same position at the expense of a first-round pick. If the Steelers could take a flyer on Lacy in the third round, that’s a much better risk/reward choice.

In addition, Lacy is a fifth-year senior who will be 24 when he’s drafted and even after all these years, struggles with very simple parts of his game.

Just looking at the players taken after Lacy, Oregon’s Darron Harmon would be our choice. He’s a dominant interior player and one of our favorites in this draft. Just looking at the rest of the wide receiver class, give me Texas’ Isaiah Bond or Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka over Lacy in the first round.

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5 stats that defined LSU’s loss at Texas A&M in Week 9

These five stats defined LSU’s loss at Texas A&M.

LSU’s second half did not go to plan in College Station on Saturday night. Texas A&M turned to dual-threat QB Marcel Reed and the LSU defense had no response.

On the other side of the ball, LSU’s failure to run the ball put too much on the passing game and QB [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] made a series of mistakes that let the game get away from LSU.

LSU was a slight underdog and playing on the road in the SEC is never easy, but A&M flat-out beat LSU in the second half. ESPN play-by-play man Chris Fowler called it a Texas A&M avalanche. It’s hard to find a better way to describe it.

Texas A&M looked like a playoff team over the final two quarters while LSU looked like a team unprepared for the moment. Mistakes in all phases of the game cost LSU on Saturday night. Anything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

Here are five stats that defined LSU’s loss.

LSU’s 1.9 yards per carry

At first, that reads like a typo. LSU averaged 1.9 yards per carry — not what’s expected from an SEC team with future NFL linemen and blue-chip running backs.

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] ran it 11 times for 15 yards while Josh Williams got seven carries for 23 yards. Together, they combined for a -8.33 EPA on the ground.

LSU’s offensive line couldn’t get any push or create space. Durham and Williams were constantly met by Texas A&M defenders at the line of scrimmage.

Just 19% of LSU’s runs went for 4+ yards. A&M’s mark was at 60%.

“We spent a lot of time on our run game. We should be better there,” [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said.

Garrett Nussmeier: Three interceptions

After Week 9, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] leads the SEC with nine picks on the year. We knew Nussmeier was a “gunslinger” who would put the ball in jeopardy at times, but three picks on Saturday allowed the game to unravel for LSU.

Throwing three picks in a half isn’t a recipe for success. The turnovers came on LSU’s end of the field and set A&M up for a touchdown drive of eight yards and 26 yards. The third pick led to a field goal. Combined, A&M scored 17 points off the Nussmeier turnovers.

You could feel the momentum swing after the first interception. That’s where the game was lost for LSU. The Tigers weren’t able to settle down after that and the floodgates opened.

LSU special teams: -5.02 EPA

LSU’s field goal unit struggled on Saturday. A poor hold led to [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag] missing a field goal late in the first quarter. In the second, LSU missed another one.

Long snapper [autotag]Slade Roy[/autotag] and holder [autotag]Peyton Todd[/autotag] weren’t on the same page and it led to a bungled snap in the third quarter. That’s nine points left on the board.

With the way A&M controlled the game in the second half, it’s hard to say the nine points were the difference, but the second half looks different if LSU is playing with a bigger lead.

When you send the field goal unit out there three times, you don’t want to come away empty on all three attempts.

LSU’s EPA without explosive plays: -36.29

LSU’s offense had a few explosive plays on Saturday night, including a 76-yard catch and run from [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] and some third-down conversions to [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag].

Outside of that, LSU struggled to get anything going on offense. Without the explosive plays, LSU’s EPA was -36.29. LSU’s worst mark of the year.

With the run game not providing anything, it was hard to establish down-to-down consistency. That allowed A&M to tee up blitzes on Nussmeier and showcase some disguised coverages.

Nussmeier was feeling the pressure and knew the only way LSU could score was a big play through the air. Kelly said LSU is putting too much on its quarterback and that was evident on Saturday.

Mason Taylor and Kyren Lacy: 8 catches on 16 targets

This stat may feel a little nitpicky, but LSU only completed half of its targets to its most reliable receivers.

LSU turns to Taylor and Lacy when it needs a conversion — they’re Nussmeier’s go-to guys.

This is related to LSU’s lack of down-to-down efficiency. Part of LSU becoming a better situational football team means consistently completing passes to the dependable pass catchers.

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Stock Up, Stock Down: A tale of 2 halves as LSU falls at Texas A&M

What looked like it could be a statement win for the Tigers turned into a disaster in the second half.

LSU took a trip to College Station, Texas, to take on the Texas A&M Aggies and their new head coach, Mike Elko. In the first half, LSU was on fire. They took a 17-7 lead into the break.

Unfortunately, that lead would not last. In the second half, LSU was outscored 31-6 as Nussmeier threw three interceptions and a new quarterback for A&M was unstoppable. Elko subbed in Marcel Reed in the second half for the Aggies and they scored on every drive he had. It was a rough loss for LSU as it suffered its first conference loss.

Let’s look at who saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall in the Tigers’ loss to Texas A&M in Week 9.

Stock Down: Garrett Nussmeier

Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images.

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] picked a bad night to have his worst game of the season. Nussmeier looked great in the first half but in the second half, he got bullied by the Aggies defense. He finished the night with three interceptions, the most interceptions he has thrown in a single game in his career.

Stock Up: Aaron Anderson

Syndication: The Daily Advertiser

[autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] had another big game as he finished the night with three receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown. He led the Tigers in receiving yards with [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] right behind him.

Stock Down: Special Teams

(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

[autotag]Damien Ramos[/autotag] had a rough night in College Station. He made his first field goal but he missed his last two field goal attempts as he doinked the first one and just missed the second one.

Stock Down: Abhorrent second half

Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images.

After taking a 17-7 lead before halftime, LSU was outscored 31-6 in the second half. Nussmeier threw three interceptions and the defense had no answer for Marcel Reed. Every drive Reed started ended in points.

Stock Down: Running game

Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images.

I have been harping on the LSU run game for two years in a row and I will continue to do it. Texas A&M outgained LSU on the ground 242-24. LSU finished the game with only 24 rushing yards. How do you plan on opening up the passing game if the other team does not have to respect your run game?

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Chiefs scouting report: LSU Tigers WR Kyren Lacy

LSU #Tigers wide receiver Kyren Lacy could develop into a star with the Kansas City #Chiefs if they select him in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs recently traded for veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to patch up their wide receiver room. The Chiefs have five wide receivers, including Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, Mecole Hardman, Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Justin Watson, who become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.

The age and injury risk factors Brown, Hopkins, and Smith-Schuster carry suggest Kansas City will bypass re-signing their veteran wide receivers in favor of adding fresh faces in the NFL draft.

LSU Tigers wideout Kyren Lacy sports an impressive frame with good height, density, and arm length. He played in the slot and out wide at LSU and should see snaps in both roles at the next level. Lacy fires off the line and accelerates to his top speed quickly. He lacks elite vertical speed but stretches defenses downfield and creates some one-on-one opportunities on go routes.

Lacy creates problems for cornerbacks on post routes against two-high coverage shells. He stems his route outside and sells the defender on a corner route before breaking across their face into the open middle of the field. Lacy finds most of his success working the vertical elements of his route tree.

Lacy projects as a mid-Day 3 selection. He rounds his routes that require more complex cuts and generates average separation on curls and digs. He lacks the dynamic athleticism to elude defenders and create significant yardage after the catch.

LSU faces a tough challenge this week. The Tigers go on the road to play Texas A&M at College Station at 6:30 p.m. CST on October 26. Both programs are 6-0 after losing their season openers. Aggies cornerback Will Lee III is a potential top-100 selection. Matching up with Lee will be one of Lacy’s toughest tests this season.