Tag: Shelton Sampson Jr.

Former LSU receiver Khai Prean commits to Tulane

Khai Prean is staying in the state of Louisiana.

Former Tigers wide receiver [autotag]Khai Prean[/autotag] won’t be leaving the state of Louisiana, after all.

On Monday, Prean announced his commitment to Tulane as a transfer. The former four-star receiver entered the transfer portal last Wednesday following one season at LSU in which he redshirted and didn’t make any appearances.

Listed as an athlete coming out of Saint James, Louisiana, in the 2023 class, Prean was a top-500 recruit. However, even with the departures of [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], he remained buried on the receiver depth chart entering 2024.

LSU still has quite a bit of depth at the position between projected starters [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag], [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag] and [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag], depth players [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag], as well as young players who could be poised for a breakout like [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Parker[/autotag].

Prean will join a Tulane team coming off another double-digit win season, but the 2024 campaign will be the first under new coach Jon Sumrall after Willie Fritz left to take the Houston job.

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LSU receiver Kyle Parker could be poised for breakout redshirt freshman season

Kyle Parker has reportedly seen first-team receiver reps at LSU’s spring practice.

As LSU works its way through spring ball, there’s one pressing question on the offensive side: Who can replace the production departing with first-round receivers [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag]?

While the Tigers may lack the experience in the receiver room, it’s a talented group with a number of players who could earn reps. One, however, has been a standout so far in spring ball.

Redshirt freshman [autotag]Kyle Parker[/autotag] ā€” an Allen, Texas, native who appeared in four games as a true freshman in 2023 ā€” was spotted taking reps with the first team along with [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag].

Parker was part of a talented receiver class in 2023 that also featured [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Brown[/autotag]. The latter has since transferred, but with Sampson and a group that also features Liberty transfer [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag], a transfer addition who played occasionally in 2023, there are options for the Tigers.

However, it seems Parker is making an impression, with quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] recently saying that he had “worked his tail off.”

The Tigers have to replace a combined 2,746 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns from a season ago. The emergence of a player like Parker would certainly make that much more manageable.

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Can Kyren Lacy replace Malik Nabers as LSU’s WR1 in 2024?

Kyren Lacy only has 54 catches in two years, but he’s had some real bright spots when he’s been highlighted in the offense.

As the calendar turns to 2024 and we prepare for Year 3 of the [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] era in Baton Rouge, the program faces a lot of questions.

The 2023 team was an overall disappointment as an awful defense held back arguably the best offense in the entire nation. Most of the stars from that group are gone, including Heisman-winning quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] and his top two receivers, [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag]

Nabers will be especially tough to replace. The nation’s No. 2 receiver and runner-up for the Biletnikoff Award, he’s seen as a likely top-10 (if not top-five) pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

LSU may have his replacement in-house, though. Fifth-year senior [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] is returning, and though he only has 54 catches in two seasons in Baton Rouge, he’s had some standout performances.

He exceeded 100 yards in two games this season and had six catches for 96 yards in the ReliaQuest Bowl win. He finished the year with 558 yards and seven touchdowns on 30 catches, and CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson identified him as Nabers’ replacement.

Both Nabers andĀ Brian ThomasĀ are leaving massive holes in the production from LSU’s pass catchers, but Lacy has already expressed his expectation to be one of the team’s leaders at that position in 2024. A fifth-year player who will be utilizing his COVID eligibility in the fall, Lacy arrived at LSU prior to 2022 after two seasons atĀ Louisiana. He took a major jump this year with improvements in receptions (30), yards receiving (558) and touchdowns (7), and finished as the team’s third-leading receiver on the season behind Nabers and Thomas.

There is still a lot of talent among the underclassmen wide receivers in Baton Rouge but it’s mostly unproven, making Lacy a key piece for LSU’s offense. Want a good sign for the future of LSU’s offense as it undergoes the turnover of a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, two first-round wide receivers and an offensive coordinator? Seeing Lacy connect with presumed starterĀ Garrett NussmeierĀ for a season-high six catches for 95 yards in the bowl win againstĀ Wisconsin.

LSU will turn to Lacy and other returning players like [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag], as well as Liberty transfer [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] and Mississippi State transfer [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag].

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LSU receiver signee Kylan Billiot among players who boosted stock at All-American Bowl

Kylan Billiot was a clear standout in San Antonio this week.

This past weekend weekend, we wrapped up the high school all-star game circuit as the annual All-American Bowl was held in San Antonio.

The Tigers had four signees in the 2024 class who participated in the All-American Bowl, and one of them may have done a lot to boost his stock at the end of the cycle.

On3’s Cody Bellaire listed receiver [autotag]Kylan Billiot[/autotag] as one of several players who are trending up after their performance this week. A four-star prospect from Terrebonne (Houma, LA), Billiot ranks just inside the top 300 of the 247Sports Composite Rankings. However, that ranking could rise in the coming weeks.

Here’s what Bellaire said about his performance in San Antonio.

We were excited to learn Kylan Billiot was added to the All-American Bowl roster, feeling he is a prospect who could really move the needle with a great showing. With that said, he started the week off with a bang. We knew the athleticism and size was going to show up, but the improvement in his ball skills was quickly evident as he made multiple acrobatic catches and displayed some strong hands during the 1-on-1 period. As the week progressed, the LSU signee showed progress in his route-running and ability to separate on intermediate routes. While he has always had the top-end speed to blow by defenders on vertical routes, the ability to break off defenders at the top of the route was evident. The improvement is notable, given his limited time playing football. Billiot may have been held relatively quiet during the All-American Bowl, but the progress heā€™s shown illustrates his upside and ability to take coaching. The physical tools and athleticism are certainly there. Thereā€™s no question Billiotā€™s best football is ahead of him as he continues to improve his technical skills.

Billiot could have a path to immediate playing time as LSU loses receivers [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] to the draft. It still returns veterans like [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] as well as 2023 signees [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Khai Prean[/autotag], who both redshirted as true freshmen.

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LSU true freshman receiver, former blue chip recruit enters transfer portal

A former top-70 recruit, Jalen Brown redshirted while appearing in three games in 2023.

Following the conclusion of LSU’s season with a 35-31 win over Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Day, it saw the departure of two of the top signees in the 2023 class.

First was former five-star offensive tackle [autotag]Lance Heard[/autotag], who signaled his decision when he didn’t travel with the team to Tampa. Next was former four-star receiver [autotag]Jalen Brown[/autotag], who entered just before the deadline on Tuesday night.

A top-70 prospect in the 2023 class from Gulliver Prep in Miami, Brown redshirted during his true freshman season while appearing in three games but recording no stats. He’ll have four remaining years of eligibility at his next stop.

It’s a blow to a Tigers receiver room that’s set to lose [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] It will return veterans [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] as well as another highly touted 2023 signee who redshirted in [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag]

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These 5 LSU players are poised for big performances in the ReliaQuest Bowl

With the bowl not counting against redshirts, some young players will get the chance to step up.

LSU will be taking on the Wisconsin Badgers in the ReliaQuest Bowl on January 1st. We will get a chance to take a look at the future of the program as this game does not count towards burning a redshirt for any freshmen on the team.

Five guys who I think could have a big game against the Badgers are [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag], [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]DaShawn Womack[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag]. Those are five guys that are the future of LSU football and they are all poised for a breakout game.

Let’s take a closer look at the five aforementioned players.

Malik Nabers sidelined for Thursday’s bowl practice

During practice on Thursday, Malik Nabers was noticeably sidelined.

[autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] made it known after the Tigers played Texas A&M that he would be playing for LSU in their bowl game against Wisconsin. He and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] will both be playing.

During practice on Thursday, Nabers was noticeably sidelined. He worked on the practice fields with other wide receivers but he did not participate in any drills. There was no reason given as to why that happened.

In his stead, freshman [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag] has stepped up and he has looked like he can be a star for the Tigers next year. Sampson was a four-star wide receiver out of Catholic High School in Baton Rouge where he broke multiple records on his way to becoming the best wide receiver in Catholic’s history.

With Nabers and possibly Thomas Jr. heading to the NFL, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] will need another star receiver to step up and make some big plays. Sampson Jr. could be that guy.

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2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 14 Jalen Brown

Jalen Brown could eventually become a major impact player despite joining a talented receiver group.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigersā€™ 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 forĀ Brian KellyĀ this season.

We’ve already looked at a couple of LSU’s 2023 receiver additions in [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Parker[/autotag], and now we’re looking at another in [autotag]Jalen Brown[/autotag]. Any time you can go steal a talented south Florida prospect from the in-state programs it’s a win, and Brown could eventually become a major impact player despite joining a talented receiver group.

Jalen Brown Preseason Player Profile

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 12 Kyle Parker

We’re looking at another receiver addition from the 2023 signing class in Kyle Parker.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigersā€™ 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 forĀ Brian KellyĀ this season.

We’ve already looked at one of the receiver additions in LSU’s 2023 signing class in [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag], and now we’re checking out another in consensus four-star Texas signee [autotag]Kyle Parker[/autotag]. Early playing time at receiver won’t be easy on this team, but Parker will try to break through in a crowded room.

Kyle Parker Preseason Player Profile

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 11 Brian Thomas Jr.

After two seasons as a mostly rotational receiver, Brian Thomas Jr. could be poised to break out in 2023.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigersā€™ 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 forĀ Brian KellyĀ this season.

We’re looking at a player in the receiver room who has shown a lot of signs of promise but is yet to put it all together in the form of a breakout campaign in Brian Thomas Jr. Entering a receiver room that he’s poised to be a leader in during his junior season, he has the potential to do just that in 2023.

Brian Thomas Jr. Preseason Player Profile

Hometown:Ā Walker, Louisiana

Ht:Ā 6-3

Wt:Ā 205

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four Stars | No. 4 in Louisiana | No. 13 receiver

Class in 2022: Sophomore

Career Stats

Year G Rec Yards Avg TDs
2021 12 28 359 12.8 2
2022 13 31 361 11.6 5


Depth Chart Overview

A former top-100 recruit coming out of high school, Thomas has made 25 appearances over the last two seasons with 15 starts. He’s had just moderate production in that time, and though his numbers didn’t skyrocket as a sophomore, he did finish fourth on the team in receptions, fifth in yards and second in touchdowns.

With [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaray Jenkins[/autotag] heading to the NFL while [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag] transfers out, that room is much less crowded in 2023. Alongside one of the SEC’s top receivers in Malik Nabers, Thomas could be an impact player in that group.

There will be others competing for targets, though, such as [autotag]Chris Hilton[/autotag], [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and Alabama transfer [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag]. The Tigers added a pair of highly-rated true freshmen as well in [autotag]Jalen Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag]

Brian Thomas Jr.’s Photo Gallery