LSU football signed its fifth transfer of portal season on Sunday, adding Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren.
The move wasn’t a huge splash, but it was a savvy signing for a team in need of quarterback depth. After [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag] flipped to Michigan and [autotag]Ricky Collins[/autotag] entered the transfer portal, LSU needed numbers.
LSU is set at quarterback entering 2025, with starter [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] announcing his return, but Van Buren sets up the succession plan. With three years of eligibility and SEC experience, Van Buren arrives with a high ceiling.
The four-star quarterback made an immediate impact with the Bulldogs in 2024. Mississippi State struggled in head coach Jeff Lebby’s first season, but Van Buren was a bright spot.
Van Buren’s play was far from clean, but there’s a lot to like about the young QB. Today, we’ll break down what LSU is getting with the Maryland native.
Here are five things to know about Van Buren.
1. Van Buren throws a nice deep ball
The most impressive element of Van Buren’s young game is his deep ball. His arm isn’t the strongest, but he understands touch and placement.
Van Buren puts his receivers in a position to make a play. He’s accurate and can make a back-shoulder throw on a line or perfectly drop the ball in a bucket. The ball doesn’t explode out of his hand, but he can find the distance.
17.6% of Van Buren’s attempts in 2024 had 20+ air yards or more. According to PFF, his big-time throw rate on such passes ranked sixth among SEC quarterbacks.
2. Van Buren struggles with short accuracy
While the deep ball is there, Van Buren’s quick game needs some work. He struggles with accuracy and reading underneath defenders.
Van Buren’s completion rate on throws 0-9 yards ranked dead last in the SEC. His four interceptions on such throws led the conference.
This pick vs. Ole Miss sums it up. Mississippi State’s receiver slips, but this ball was going right to a Rebels’ defender.
As a freshman, things can happen fast. With a year to sit behind Nussmeier, this area of Van Buren’s game should take a step forward.
3. Struggles under pressure, but there’s promise
Overall, Van Buren’s numbers under pressure weren’t good. He averaged 5.8 yards per attempt facing the blitz and posted a 35.9 PFF passing grade under pressure.
The tape shows promise. By the end of the season, Van Buren didn’t panic out of the pocket when under pressure — a trap young quarterbacks often fall into. When he did leave the pocket, he kept his eyes down field.
Even with defenders in his face, he can step into the throw and deliver the ball on target.
4. Van Buren is mobile
Van Buren isn’t a burner, but he’s athletic enough to be a threat with his legs. Defenses had to account for Van Buren when Mississippi State ran the option. That’s something that wasn’t on the table for LSU with Nussmeier.
Van Buren only had two runs of 10+ yards, but notched five rushing touchdowns on the year.
If Van Buren is the starter in 2026, the offense won’t be built around the QB run game, but it may be a factor.
Van Buren’s legs give him flexibility in the pocket, too.
5. Throws with anticipation
Of all the traits, Van Buren’s anticipation offers the most promise. When working the intermediate and deep levels of the field, Van Buren is able to throw his receivers open. You don’t always see that from young quarterbacks.
It’s a sign Van Buren has the mental tools to play this game at a high level. It’s also a signal Van Buren will eventually get this feeling in the quick game.
When you can throw with anticipation, it helps mitigate everything else. Van Buren doesn’t need to rifle the ball in there if he and the receiver are one step ahead of the defender.
