Tag: Zy Alexander

10 players for Packers fans to monitor on West roster during Shrine Bowl week

Ten players from the West roster to watch during the East-West Shrine Bowl week.

The East-West Shrine Bowl practices start on Saturday with the game scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 30th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Zach Tom, Edgerrin Cooper, Jon Runayn Jr, Samori Toure, Ka’Dar Hollman, James Looney and Hunter Bradley are all draft picks who played in the Shrine Bowl that Brian Gutekunst has selected.

Let’s take a look at 10 players from the West roster who could be potential targets for the Green Bay Packers during the 2025 NFL Draft.

Zy Alexander, CB, LSU

The LSU cornerback is a well-put-together cornerback with the fluidity to mirror and match. He uses his length to disrupt the catch point. Over the past two seasons, Alexander recorded four interceptions and 11 pass deflections.

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Jason Marshall Jr, CB, Florida

The Florida Gator cornerback had his season cut short due to injury and will get a chance to remind teams of his talent down in Texas this week. Marshall is a tall, lanky corner, who plays with clean feet.

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Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland

A high school wrestler, Phillips has a unique blend of power and initial quickness that will be on full display in practice this week. His production won’t jump out at you, but there is no denying there is a ton of power flowing through his frame.

Ahmed Hassanein, Edge, Boise State

Hassanein is a power-packed edge rusher with strong hands to sledgehammer through offensive tackles. As a run defender, he sets a hard edge and competes with consistent effort.

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Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa

Higgins has strong hands to defeat blocks and fills the gap with urgency. He plays with physicality and has a motor that runs hot. Over the past two seasons, Higgins has recorded 295 tackles, 103 run stops, eight tackles for loss, five interceptions and nine pass deflections.

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Drew Kendall, C, Boston College

Pete Kendall’s son, the younger Kendall finished his collegiate career with 37 starts at center. Kendall moves well, with outstanding lateral mobility. This past season Kendall gave up one sack and five pressures.

Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, OL, Florida

A San Diego State transfer, Crenshaw-Dickson started 11 games at right tackle during his lone season in The Swamp. As an Aztec, he started 18 games at right tackle and 17 at left tackle. He’s a powerful run blocker who uses an efficient punch in pass protection.

Marcus Wehr, OL, Montana State

Wehr started his career at Montana State as a defensive lineman before making the switch to the offensive line in 2022. That season he started five games before suffering a season-ending injury. The following season, Wehr started 11 games at right tackle and one game at right guard. This past season Wehr started all 16 games at right guard for Montana State.

Jermari Harris, CB, Iowa

Harris is a physical cornerback who is very feisty at the catch point. Over the past two seasons, he recorded four interceptions and 15 pass deflections. He shows no fear flying up in run support and is more than willing to throw his body around.

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Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa

The next tight end to come out of the Iowa pipeline is Lachey. The Hawkeye tight end is a fluid athlete and has strong hands. As a blocker, he keeps his feet moving at contact and throws his weight around to help open up running lanes.

7 potential Chargers draft targets on defense to watch at the East-West Shrine Bowl

The Chargers need to upgrade a few positions on the defensive side of the ball, so here are seven players that they could have on their radar.

Draft season kicks into high gear, with the East-West Shrine Bowl set to start this week. This event is the beginning of the pre-draft process for NFL teams as they continue their evaluations of prospects.

Here are seven defensive players to watch for the Chargers in Frisco, TX.

DL Kenneth Grant, Michigan

The Chargers need to upgrade the interior part of the defensive line, and they could do so as early as the first round with Grant, who is familiar with head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. A member of The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman’s Freak List, Grant offers the overall size, strength, explosiveness, and disruptiveness to wreak havoc in opposing backfields.

DL Jordan Phillips, Maryland

Another member of the Freak List, Phillips is a trench-bound nightmare for offensive centers and guards, possessing the power and heavy hands that enable him to knock blockers back and the anchor strength when defending the run, as he is not easily moved off the ball. At only 20 years of age, his best football is still ahead of him.

EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr., Virginia Tech

The future of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack with the Chargers remains to be seen. But regardless of whether they’re back or not, the team needs to add more pass-rush juice to the positional room. Powell finished this season with 16 sacks (second-most in the nation) and three forced fumbles after 9.5 sacks and three fumbles in 2023. Despite being a little undersized at 6-foot-3 and 252 pounds, he is explosive off the snap with an excellent first step, great bend, and active hands.

EDGE Johnny Walker, Missouri

Walker was a standout for the Tigers this season, finishing the season with 42 quarterback pressures, 9.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. Walker’s explosiveness off the ball is what stands out. He has good bend and flexibility, allowing him to get around tackles and to the quarterback. He has the makings of a solid designated pass rusher for the Chargers early in his career.

CB Zy Alexander, LSU

Asante Samuel Jr. and Kristian Fulton are both set to be free agents. Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still (who attended last year’s East-West Shrine Bowl) showed they could be starters, but the position room would benefit from depth behind them. At 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds, Alexander possesses great size and length, ball skills, long speed, and physicality in run support that is coveted at the position. During his college career, Alexander intercepted 13 passes.

CB Mello Dotson, Kansas

Kansas has two cornerbacks attending the Shrine Bowl, and it’s been Dotson’s teammate, Cobee Bryant, who’s earned more of the attention. But Dotson should not be slept on. Dotson is the first AP All-American defensive back from Kansas since Aqib Talib. An experienced player, Dotson started 46 games for the Jayhawks. A ballhawk in the secondary with great anticipatory instincts, he totaled 12 career interceptions, four of which were returned for touchdowns, and 25 passes defended.

S Shamari Simmons, Arizona State

The Chargers’ safety group was one of their strongest positions this past season. But with Elijah Molden slated to hit the free agency market and Alohi Gilman’s contract expiring at the end of next season, they could afford to add more playmakers on the back end. Simmons was the Sun Devils’ Nickel in 2024, but he has plenty of experience playing the deep parts of the field, too. Simmons can make plays all over with his FBI/instincts, twitch, and violent demeanor.

Top 5 defensive back transfer portal classes: Where does LSU rank?

These five teams did the most to address their secondaries in the transfer portal. Where does LSU rank?

LSU football entered the offseason needing help in the secondary. The Tigers have been inconsistent on the backend under [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and are losing veteran corner [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag], along with a handful of transfer portal exits.

Last year, Kelly hired secondary [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] to help right the ship. Raymond built the best secondaries in college football in his original stint at LSU.

The group improved in 2024, but the talent level wasn’t where it needed to be.

When the transfer portal opened, LSU got busy. Raymond is one of the best recruiters in the game. With the help of a strong NIL push, Raymond was able to land some of the top defensive backs on the market.

Today, we’ll look at the top secondary transfer portal hauls of 2025. Some players are still looking for a home, but most of the big dominoes have fallen.

In these rankings, I’ve tried to gauge which classes are best set up to make an impact in 2025. Talent and experience matter.

Let’s see where LSU sits.

5. North Carolina Tar Heels

 Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Bill Belichick is running the show in Chapel Hill — that’s a good sign for the Tar Heels defense. Belichick made some splashes in the secondary that will lead to instant improvement on that side of the ball.

Belichick hires his son, Steve, away from Washington to lead the unit. Steve Belichick brought cornerback Thaddeus Dixon and safety Peyton Waters along with him. Waters didn’t play much but was a freshman in 2024. Dixon, according to PFF, was the No. 5 ranked coverage corner in the Big Ten.

UNC added safety, Gavin Gibson, from ECU, who totaled six pressures with four pass breakups in 2024.

Gibson adds playmaking ability while Dixon has a chance to be one of the best corners in the ACC.

4. Washington Huskies

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Washington took a loss with Dixon transferring to UNC, but they added the top-ranked corner in the transfer portal in Tacario Davis.

Davis thought about the NFL but decided to reunite with former coach Jedd Fisch in Seattle. Davis is an All-American caliber player and gives the Huskies a shot at building one of the Big Ten’s best units.

At safety, Washington signed FIU transfer CJ Christian. At 6’1′, Christian has the size to play in the box or make players in coverage. He totaled 23 stops and picked off a pass in 2024. He brings over 1,500 snaps of experience to the Huskies’ defense.

Washington didn’t add volume, but a few teams signed a higher-quality defensive backs from the transfer portal.

3. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Arizona Republic

Texas Tech’s transfer class is one of the best across the board, but it’s especially strong in the secondary.

At corner, the Red Raiders signed Brice Pollock and Amier Boyd-Matthews. The two rank No. 9 and No. 14 on 247Sports’ cornerback transfer rankings. At safety, Texas Tech signed North Dakota State transfer Cole Wisniewski. He’s 247Sports’ No. 4 ranked safety transfer.

From Purdue, Tech added Tarrion Grant. He struggled as a true freshman in 2024, but he offers upside and multiple years of eligibility.

Texas Tech added impact players with volume.

2. LSU Tigers

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LSU comes in one off the top spot. The Tigers signed three defensive backs, and all are expected to make an impact in 2025.

The top signee is Virginia Tech transfer Mansoor Delane. According to On3, Delane is the second-best transfer CB of the class, only behind Tacario Davis.

He brings much-needed experience to LSU’s secondary and can slide into Alexander’s role.

At safety, LSU added TaMarcus Cooley from NC State. Cooley had a breakout year with the Wolfpack in 2024 and gives LSU playmaking versatility.

The most talented but least proven of the group is former Florida CB Ja’Keem Jackson.

Jackson reunites with Corey Raymond at LSU but missed most of 2024 with an injury. If he’s healthy, he will compete for a starting spot.

1. Miami Hurricanes

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Miami signed five defensive backs out of the transfer portal with an average rating of .902 according to 247Sports. That’s elite quality at an elite volume.

With Charles Brantley and Ethan O’Connor, Miami signed two of the top five corners on the market, per the On3 Industry Rankings.

At safety, Miami signed Zechariah Poyser. Moving up from Jacksonville State, there will be an adjustment for Poyser, but he has the talent to play at the power conference level.

The class is rounded out by former Arizona CB Emmanuel Karnley and former Wisconsin S Xavier Lucas.

Miami struggled to prevent the big play in 2024, but that should change in 2025.

See where LSU football’s transfer portal class ranks nationally

Where does 247Sports rank LSU football’s 2025 transfer portal class?

LSU football is assembling one of the top transfer portal classes in the country. Tigers’ head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said LSU planned to be aggressive, and the results have backed it up.

According to ESPN, LSU landed four of the top 13 ranked transfers in the portal.

Former Kentucky wide receiver [autotag]Barion Brown[/autotag] is the top-ranked of the bunch, sitting at No. 8 overall.

On Brown, ESPN says he brings “speed, speed, and more speed” to LSU.

“Brown should see a lot of targets for the Tigers next season and will continue to be a game-changer in the return game,” ESPN added.

Joining Brown at the top of the class are former Oklahoma wide receiver [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], Virginia Tech transfer cornerback [autotag]Mansoor Delane[/autotag], and FSU transfer defensive end [autotag]Patrick Payton.[/autotag]

According to 247Sports, LSU’s transfer class is the best in the country, sitting at No. 1 ahead of Texas Tech.

LSU’s signed 14 transfers thus far, eight of them being four-stars.

LSU’s average transfer rating of 89.77 isn’t the best mark in the country, though it’s near the top. But no other program has matched LSU’s quality with the same volume.

Kelly and the staff are making it a point to fill needs. Payton leads a strong group of transfers at defensive end, and Delane helps replace the veteran presence that LSU is losing with cornerback [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] moving on.

After an 8-4 regular season, LSU’s portal additions, along with key returnees, will have LSU expecting to compete for the playoffs in 2025.

LSU lands one of the top cornerbacks in the transfer portal

LSU landed a highly coveted transfer cornerback on Monday

LSU football continues to up the talent level on defense, dipping in the transfer portal for one of the top cornerbacks on the market.

Former Virginia Tech cornerback Mansoor Delane committed to the Tigers on Monday. According to 247Sports, Delane is the No. 2 ranked corner in this year’s transfer portal.

With senior cornerback [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] on his way out, LSU adds another veteran to the room to compliment a handful of young and talented defensive backs.

With four picks in 2024, Delane ranked second among ACC corners. According to PFF, opponents only completed 47.2% of passes when targeting Delane. That ranked in the top 10 among the same group.

Delane figures to be a starter upon arrival in Baton Rouge. LSU likes the potential of young cornerbacks Ashton Stamps and PJ Woodland, but now the youngsters have a proven “Power Four” veteran to play with.

In three years with the Hokies, Delane played over 1,800 snaps on defense. He’s a solid tackler, too, registering 37 stops and forcing four fumbles in his career.

LSU is also awaiting the arrival of five-star cornerback DJ Pickett — who coaches feel can make an immediate impact.

Delane was the second addition to LSU’s defense on Monday. Earlier in the day, LSU secured a commitment from former Florida defensive end Jack Pryburn.

LSU lands coveted cornerback transfer Ja’Keem Jackson

LSU added a transfer that was one of the top cornerbacks in his class

LSU football landed its second transfer portal addition of the season on Saturday, securing a commitment from former Florida cornerback Ja’Keem Jackson.

LSU officially announced the signing on Saturday morning.

According to the On3 Industry Rankings, Jackson is the No. 9 ranked corner on the transfer market. He’s a four-star transfer with a 91.52 rating. As a high school recruit, On3 and 247Sports ranked Jackson as a top-five corner in his class and a top 50 overall recruit.

LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond coached Jackson at Florida in 2023. LSU leaned on that connection to bring Jackson to Baton Rouge.

Jackson played 113 snaps as a freshman in 2023, allowing six catches on 11 targets. He entered 2024 as a starter but played two games before missing the rest of the season with an injury.

LSU is betting on Jackson’s upside here. He’s only played 199 snaps, and most of that action came as a true freshman. He struggled in Florida’s season opener against Miami in 2024, but that was his first career start.

Cornerback, and the secondary as a whole, was a major area of need for LSU entering the transfer window.

The Tigers are losing their best cornerback, [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag], to the NFL. On top of that, LSU has lost six defensive backs to the transfer portal, hurting depth at the position.

Transfer portal update: More potential LSU targets enter the portal

Here are five big portal names LSU fans should know

After the transfer portal opened on Monday, names continued to flood the market. LSU football is already active, setting up visits with several top prospects.

LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] signaled an aggressive approach from the Tigers, and while dominoes are yet to fall, LSU is setting up for a massive portal haul.

Things are moving fast, and more names are entering than the average fan has time to keep up with. We’ll take some time to update you on recent entries that make sense for LSU.

These are prospects at positions of need for LSU, whether the Tigers are looking to add a star or just build depth.

LSU’s roster has quite a few holes, especially with most of the 2023 signing class not working out. Ideally, those prospects would be entering their junior years ready for central roles at LSU, but only a handful of 2023 signees remain with the Tigers. LSU needs to add proven veterans to make up for that.

Here are some transfer portal names to know as of Thursday.

Ben Bell, Defensive End — Texas State

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Per the On3 Industry Rankings, Bell is the top defender available.

He only played four games with the Bobcats in 2024 in hopes of getting another year to transfer up. But in those four games, Bell posted 23 pressures and four sacks. Last year, Bell had 53 pressures.

It’s rare to see a player on the transfer market with 123 pressures and 20 sacks in his career, but Bell is a proven producer.

Xavier Chaplin, Tackle — Virginia Tech

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LSU is losing at least three offensive linemen to the NFL this year. If [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] declares, that total grows to four.

LSU needs portal addition across the board on the offensive line. The Tigers need guys that can start and depth pieces. Chaplin is the former. According to On3, he’s the No. 6 ranked transfer.

He’s 6’7′ with two years of starting experience at left tackle. He’s a good run blocker, and that’s something LSU needs after struggling to get a push on the ground in 2024.

Tacario Davis, Cornerback — Arizona

Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Davis is one of the top names in the transfer portal. According to the On3 Industry Rankings, he’s the No. 7 overall available prospect.

LSU is losing [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] to the NFL. Davis would make a fine replacement.

Alexander had the size to cover SEC wide receivers man-to-man. Davis has the same ability at 6’3′. LSU needs corners it can trust on an island in Blake Baker’s defense — Tacario Davis is just that.

Josh Moten, Cornerback — Marshall

The Columbus Dispatch

He played in the Sun Belt, but Moten was one of the top cornerbacks in the country in 2024. Per PFF, the only CB with a better coverage grade than Moten was Heisman trophy favorite Travis Hunter.

LSU’s secondary is still young. It’s talented but young. LSU needs to go out and land a veteran like Moten to pair with corners like [autotag]Ashton Stamps[/autotag] and [autotag]DJ Pickett.[/autotag]

Brice Pollock, Cornerback — Mississippi State

Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Cornerback isn’t the highest priority for LSU, but if LSU can land a proven SEC starter, they’ll take it.

Mississippi State’s defense struggled in 2024, but Pollock wasn’t to blame. According to PFF, he posted a 75.8 defensive grade while playing 720 snaps for the Bulldogs. He recorded five pass breakups and posted an 81.2 passer rating when targeted.

Chiefs scouting report: LSU Tigers CB Zy Alexander

LSU #Tigers cornerback Zy Alexander should be on the Kansas City #Chiefs’ radar in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs made the right decision when they traded L’Jarius Sneed to Tennessee, but the team still needs to find a stable starting option to play across from Trent McDuffie. Several mid-round prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft offer the developmental upside to fill that role eventually.

LSU Tigers standout Zy Alexander is a tall, long-limbed corner unofficially listed at 6’2″, 194 lbs. The accuracy of his punches in press needs to improve, but he posts some impressive reps jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. His length advantage also shows up at the catch point. Alexander tracks the ball well for interceptions and rakes the receiver’s hands to strip potential receptions.

Alexander quickly transitions from his backpedal to forward drive in off-man coverage. He lacks ideal long speed but shows impressive closing burst when attacking downhill or jumping short routes. He’s a willing run defender who rolls downhill to set the edge and prevent running backs from building momentum. His eagerness to fit the run isn’t consistent.

Alexander reads the quarterback’s eyes in zone coverage to cheat on routes and set up potential interceptions. His vision and instincts help him seamlessly transition between threats and gain the necessary depth to eliminate routes in the deeper portion of the field.

Alexander allows separation during the middle portion of fade routes in man coverage but showcases the recovery speed to reconnect with the receiver and make a play on the ball. This speed vulnerability is his greatest limiting factor as a prospect.

LSU’s regular season ended with its 37-17 win against Oklahoma. The Tigers qualified for a bowl game, but many draft prospects forgo those competitions and start preparing for the draft. Alexander is one of four Tigers who committed to participating in the East-West Shrine Bowl, one of the top two all-star events in the country.

3 defenders who stood out in LSU’s overtime win over Ole Miss

These three defenders stood out for LSU on Saturday night.

LSU got the best performance of the year from its defense as it upset No. 9 Ole Miss on Saturday night. The game was in stark opposition to last year’s meeting with Ole Miss, where LSU allowed over 700 yards of total offense.

The Tigers allowed 465 yards of total offense on Saturday night, but LSU held Ole Miss to 6.8 yards per pass and a success rate of just 37%.

At times, LSU’s defense kept LSU in the game as the offense sputtered. The Tigers struggled on third down, but LSU did a good job keeping Ole Miss off schedule and behind the chains.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said it after the game — Ole Miss didn’t see a ton of second and short.

Three performers in particular stood out on that side of the ball. LSU got an elite performance at every level of the defense. Let’s take a look at what LSU got from its stars on defense.

Bradyn Swinson

Swinson has wreaked havoc on offenses all year and Saturday night was no different. Swinson came up with six pressures and two sacks. He made five stops and didn’t miss a tackle.

A big moment for Swinson came early in the game when Ole Miss lined up to go for it on fourth and one inside the LSU 10. Swinson shot through the Rebel offensive line to make a play in the backfield and force a turnover on downs.

Swinson made a difference in all phases of the game. He applied constant pressure on Jaxson Dart, making it hard for the Ole Miss QB to settle in. In the run game, he made key tackles at the line of scrimmage to keep the Rebels behind the chains.

On the year, Swinson’s 25 pressures are tied for the SEC lead and his 21 stops lead all SEC edge defenders. He’s in the discussion for the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Zy Alexander

CB [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] was in and out of the lineup the first five games of the season as he recovered from a torn ACL in 2023 and dealt with a concussion after Week 4.

Alexander was back in a big way for LSU on Saturday night. He’s a veteran corner in a young secondary and it’s clear LSU is much better when he’s on the field.

Ole Miss threw at Alexander 10 times, but just four were completed for a total of 27 yards. Alexander came up with a pick and made two stops.

After the game, Kelly said Alexander earned the game ball.

After week seven, Alexander leads the SEC in PFF coverage grade. He’s one of the best players in the conference right now.

Whit Weeks

Weeks was all over the place for LSU in this one. According to PFF, his 11 tackles led all SEC linebackers in week seven. He made nine stops and forced a fumble.

A true sophomore, Weeks is a known entity at this point, but in some ways, it felt like he arrived on Saturday night.

Weeks put it all together and played the best game of his career. With Harold Perkins out for the year, Weeks had to step up. He’s doing just that.

Earlier in the year, Kelly said Weeks had to be more than just a rotational piece on LSU’s defense. Weeks forced his way onto the field every play and it’s clear why.

He’s taken a huge step forward under new DC and LBs coach [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag]. Weeks 32 stops lead all SEC linebackers and his 10 pressures rank second. We’re seeing an all-conference campaign from the young backer right now.

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5 things to know about Ole Miss prior to Week 7 meeting with LSU

LSU will square off with Ole Miss on Saturday night. Here are five things to know about the Rebels.

Things are changing throughout the sport of college football but the LSU vs. Ole Miss rivalry remains an annual staple. The programs have met 112 times in their storied histories. It’s a series with a tendency to produce SEC classics.

That’s what we saw last year when LSU dropped a 55-49 shootout in Oxford. [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] threw for 414 yards and ran for 99 more, but it wasn’t enough thanks to LSU allowing over 706 total yards on defense.

LSU fans who watched that game should be familiar with this Ole Miss offense. QB Jaxson Dart and WR Tre Harris are still here and Lane Kiffin’s offensive style is no secret.

Ole Miss hit the transfer portal hard and it’s a team with plenty of new pieces, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Today, we’ll take a look at five things LSU fans should know about Ole Miss prior to the top 25 showdown on Saturday night.

Ole Miss season to this point

Ole Miss began the year ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll with many calling this team a national title contender. The Rebels won their first four games by a combined score of 220-22. The competition wasn’t stiff, but the dominance was noteworthy nonetheless.

When conference play began, Ole Miss ran into a hiccup, dropping one at home to Kentucky. The Rebel defense held UK to 4.43 yards per play but surrendered a 63-yard pass to set up a touchdown when it mattered late.

On offense, Ole Miss turned the ball over and took four sacks. Tre Harris produced, but Dart didn’t play his best game.

Ole Miss bounced back with a win over South Carolina last week. The OM interior defensive line dominated and Ole Miss didn’t allow a touchdown.

Dart completed just 51.9% of his passes and his PFF passing grade ranked 11th among SEC QBs in Week 6, but it was enough to get the job done.

That brings Ole Miss to 5-1 entering the showdown with LSU.

Tre Harris is still doing damage

Tre Harris caught eight passes for 153 yards and a score against LSU last year. Most of that production came in key moments to keep Ole Miss on the field and in the game.

Harris did most of his work against [autotag]Laterrence Welch[/autotag] and [autotag]Denver Harris[/autotag] while [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] and [autotag]Ashton Stamps[/autotag] held up fine. Welch and Harris aren’t with LSU anymore, but Alexander and Stamps are.

With 885 receiving yards after week six, Harris leads the SEC. He’s catching 81.3% of his targets and his 5.67 yards per route run are nearly a yard better than the SEC’s second-best. He’s putting together a Biletnikoff campaign.

The Ole Miss offense runs through Harris. If LSU allows him to get going, it will be a long night for the Tigers.

Ole Miss is good on the interior defensive line

Ole Miss’ group of interior defensive linemen is one of the best in the SEC. Walter Nolen and JJ Pegues lead all SEC defensive tackles with 17 and 14 pressures, respectively.

Nolen was disruptive last week, forcing seven pressures and coming up with two sacks against South Carolina.

According to PFF, four of the SEC’s best five run-defending defensive tackles play for Ole Miss. Pegues and Nolen rank first and second in the conference in run defense grade while William Echoles and Zxavian Harris aren’t that far behind.

With Nolen and Pegues forming one of the best duos in the SEC, this DT unit is dangerous.

Ole Miss leads the nation in explosive play rate

Counting explosive plays as 20+ yard passes or 10+ yard runs, Ole Miss leads the FBS with an explosive play rate of 19.2%. Nearly every fifth play is an explosive play at that clip.

That’s trouble for an LSU defense that struggles to limit big plays on the ground. The good news is that Ole Miss wasn’t quite as explosive vs Kentucky and South Carolina, the two real defenses it faced.

LSU will get aggressive on Saturday night, so some big plays are expected. LSU needs to generate enough big plays of its own to keep up.

Players to watch

You know Jaxson Dart is the QB and Tre Harris is the guy on offense. We mentioned the group at defensive tackle, too. Here are some other names to keep an eye on.

LB Chris Paul: The Arkansas transfer is playing like one of the best LBs in the country right now. He has 18 pressures and 26 stops to go along with a forced fumble. He’s impacting the game in every phase.

RB Henry Parrish Jr: He was questionable last week, but ended up playing and carried it 21 times for 81 yards and a score. Parrish leads the SEC in runs of 10 or more yards with 21 on the year.

RT Micah Pettus: Now in his third year with Ole Miss, Pettus ranks third among SEC tackles in PFF run blocking grade.

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