With many college football programs completing spring practice over the weekend, the spring transfer portal window is set to open on Tuesday.
SEC teams are a bit limited in who they can target during this window as spring transfers are not permitted to move within the conference. Still, LSU approaches the second window with some clear needs.
It addressed several positions of need in the first window, most notably receiver with the additions of [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag]. It also has added a few defensive players like defensive lineman [autotag]Gio Paez[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Jardin Gilbert[/autotag].
Still, after an abysmal performance last season, the defense likely still needs to add some players.
On3’s Jesse Simonton assessed the biggest remaining portal need for every championship contender, and for LSU, it’s simply any help on the defensive side of the ball.
Brian Kelly is already on record that the Tigers will add defensive tackle depth when the portal opens — and that’s a must with the departure of the team’s top four interior tackles last season in Maason Smith, Mekhi Wingo, Jacobian Guillory and Jalen Lee.
But LSU’s head coach should not stop there. If the spring game was any indication (busted coverages are becoming a far too common theme with this group the last few years), Blake Baker’s unit still needs a whole lot of help in the secondary, too.
In fact, if any impact transfer defensive player — be it a pass rusher or linebacker as well, — wants to come play for the Bayou Bengals, then LSU should not turn them down. Kelly whiffed on some portal additions in the secondary last season, but he must take some swings again this spring if the Tigers hope to truly contend for a 12-team playoff spot this fall.
The Tigers face depth issues at a number of positions, particularly along the defensive line and in the secondary. However, it’s worth noting that Simonton is incorrect about the fact that Guillory and Lee have departed. Both are on the roster, though they represent the only returning depth on the interior of the defensive line.
Still, the overall assessment of the defensive roster situation is correct, and LSU will almost certainly address it. Kelly has said the Tigers are primarily looking to add defensive tackles, but perhaps they should examine other defensive transfers, as Simonton suggests.
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