LSU football is cleaning up the transfer portal, addressing needs and building depth.
LSU made an intriguing addition to its defensive line room, signing former Texas defensive tackle [autotag]Sydir Mitchell[/autotag]. For Mitchell, it’s a reunion with LSU defensive line coach [autotag]Bo Davis,[/autotag] who originally recruited and signed Mitchell at Texas.
Per the On3 Industry Rankings, Mitchell is the No. 294 overall ranked transfer in the class and No. 22 at his position.
He’s not as proven as some of LSU’s other additions, but the Tigers are taking a bet on Mitchell’s talent and Davis’ development skills.
We saw the impact Davis had on LSU’s defensive tackles in 2024, getting production from true freshman [autotag]Ahmad Breaux[/autotag] and [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag].
Defensive tackle was a big need for LSU last year. Not as much this year, thanks to Breaux and McKinley. But Mitchell gives LSU depth, upside, and multiple years of eligibility.
The Tigers are losing veteran Gio Paez, while Jay’Viar Suggs and De’Myrion Johnson hit the transfer portal. Mitchell helps get the room’s numbers where it needs to be.
Here’s what LSU fans should know about the Tigers’ newest defensive tackle.
He was a blue-chip recruit in high school
Coming out of high school, Mitchell was a blue-chip recruit and one of the top-ranked players in New Jersey. ESPN ranked Mitchell No. 68 overall and No. 6 at his position.
Mitchell attended Bergen Catholic, a football powerhouse in the Northeast.
Fans debate how much recruiting ratings matter, but to play defensive line in the SEC, you need size and talent before anything else. Mitchell has that.
He only played 53 snaps at Texas
In two years with Texas, Mitchell didn’t see the field much. He only played a total of 53 defensive snaps for the Longhorns. In that time, Mitchell notched four stops and didn’t record a pressure.
Texas’s defensive line has been one of the best in the country in the last two years. It’s hard to judge a guy for sitting behind the likes of T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy.
Can Mitchell make an impact with LSU?
There’s a lot of unknown here. Mitchell’s small sample size makes it tough to gauge his current ability.
Mitchell has three years of eligibility remaining, so he doesn’t have to make an immediate impact for this to be a valuable edition.
I don’t think LSU is expecting Mitchell to step in and be an all-conference player right away. With Breaux and McKinley returning, along with veteran Jacobian Guillory, LSU has options on its interior defensive line. Mitchell only adds to that.
For now, if Mitchell gives LSU 10-15 competent snaps per game, it’s a successful 2025.