Rebuilding the defensive tackle room is a top priority for LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and defensive line coach [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag].
Kelly has stressed the Tigers’ need at interior defensive line on multiple occasions. LSU signed a good high school class and brought in a couple of transfers, but [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] is the lone returner with significant experience.
As LSU looks to add more talent to the room in its 2025 class, On3’s Chad Simmons logged a prediction for LSU to land three-star defensive tackle [autotag]Xavier Ukponu[/autotag]. Simmons is the second On3 analyst to predict LSU as the winner after Billy Embody logged an LSU pick last month.
Along with LSU, Ukponu’s shown interest in Arkansas, Texas and Florida throughout his recruitment, but the Tigers appear to be in a good spot.
Ukponu is 6-foot-2, 390 pounds and has three stars from all major recruiting services. Rivals is the highest on Ukponu’s talent, ranking him as the 33rd-best defensive tackle in the class.
LSU’s 2025 class ranks second in the country, according to On3. The Tigers have 11 commits, including [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], the top-ranked recruit in the country. The class has some offensive firepower, but the staff is hoping to make a few key additions on defense.
Continuing the in-flux of talent into the defensive tackle room is critical for LSU to get back to the standard it once had on the defensive side of the ball.
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