Max’s 2024 Tamper Portal Wishlist

Well well well, if it isn’t the consequences of LSU’s actions

Here We Are Again

A year ago, I made a similar post. LSU had just gone 9-3 despite a historic offense that, by all accounts, should have cruised to a national title. Looking across college football, the opportunity to fill needs with proven stars on other rosters seemed like a pretty nice thing for teams to be able to do, and in the constant arms race for talent, you can’t allow opportunities to pass you by and stack your rivals. I highlighted LSU’s antiquated approach to the transfer market and lack of adjustment to what is essentially unlimited free agency. From last year:

People got very mad at me! Things got so severe and vitriolic that I received threats in my DMs, I was weirdly targeted by members of LSU media and even LSU personnel. Zach even fined me infinity schrute bucks and suspended me for five seconds*, which was a personal and professional blow from which I have never recovered. Well, as I pointed out in my review of the Alabama game, LSU could have used that injection of talent. Elite, proven difference makers at every spot of need appeared on the market, but LSU continued to hunt for value (and state of origin) in the portal over results.

*Note from Zach: AND I’D DO IT AGAIN!!!!!!

Well, here we are with an 8-4 record and the same people who got upset last year now DEMANDING real activity in the portal. Instead of Andrew Mukuba at safety, LSU went with Jardin Gilbert. Instead of Derrick Harmon or Walter Nolen at DT, LSU went with basically nothing. Instead of adding a WR1 like Evan Stewart, LSU waited for Oregon and Texas to pass on CJ Daniels for better, more expensive players and lacked an alpha WR the whole season. As Ole Miss and Miami have proven, you need more than just transfer money to win, but if LSU can’t compete for talent with Texas, Oregon, Georgia, Alabama, and the like, it won’t be able to compete with them on the field year in and year out either.

I don’t believe that Brian Kelly is the problem, I think he knows exactly what needs to be done. With LSU striking out both in the HS ranks (on players that wanted to come to LSU) and the portal due to money alone, it appears the problem is above his head, Kelly has done his part. This offseason will tell us everything we need to know about LSU’s place in the new college football, if they can’t compete on money, no new coach is going to solve that problem. LSU reportedly expects to be “aggressive” this offseason. While I am skeptical of how that will go given the partial collapse of the 2025 recruiting class due to financial ineptitude, let’s take LSU at its word and take a look at who LSU should be “aggressive” in going after, whether they’re in the portal already or need a little illegal but totally legal help 😉 making up their mind. If you’re going to be aggressive, this is what that looks like, and what fans should hold them to.

Examining The Roster

The first thing coaches have to do is survey the roster and identify needs that either exist now or may arise with draft decisions that don’t break their way.

Defense

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

On defense, holes at Safety and DT were the two main spots that killed LSU. Elsewhere, they ended up doing well with the guys they had. Bradyn Swinson had a great year at EDGE, Whit Weeks broke out as one of the best ILBs in the country, Zy Alexander fit this system very well, Ashton Stamps was touch and go but played pretty well overall, etc.

Despite the relatively terrific first year enjoyed by DC Blake Baker, LSU is going to need an injection if this defense is going to reach its potential as a top-tier unit. DT should be okay, as Dominick McKinley looks ready to take on a huge role and the return of Jacobian Guillory gives them the run-stuffer they sorely lacked. Behind them, they have suitable depth in guys like Ahmad Breaux and others. They could maybe add a few more depth guys but broadly this is not where the big money will be needed. Safety, however, remains a disaster area in need of a star. The corner group outperformed my expectations, but the lack of talent at S got exposed a lot in coverage and LSU’s typical process of leaning on low-priced transfers because they are from Louisiana surprisingly did not work! LSU now needs a difference-maker. One of the young guys should be serviceable enough to fill the other spot, but they need a guy.

They also need help at EDGE. Gabriel Reliford has a lot of promise, but they can’t bank on a guy who hasn’t done anything yet as they could be left with a hole if that breaks the wrong way. This used to be how teams operate but not anymore. With Swinson and Jones gone, Da’Shawn Womack a bust (and in the portal), and limited in-house options, LSU has a need here. Overall I think they need one top-shelf stud at S, one very good EDGE, and a flex DB who can provide depth at corner and possibly play the STAR (nickel). Overall 5-7 total adds.

Offense

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This is where the real (and expensive) work will have to be done. With a vacuum in recruiting/development over the past two years, LSU finds itself with an urgent need for a legitimate No. 1 receiver who can threaten at all levels of the field and beat tight coverage on the outside. Aaron Anderson and Mason Taylor are very good underneath options, but without anyone to threaten the outside, defenses can just have their safeties choke the intermediate middle like they did this season. There aren’t many options and this role is among the most valued in the sport, so these players will be very expensive. Additionally, they will need to add 2-3 quality starters on the interior OL and possibly a swing tackle and block-first TE for heavy sets. Altogether this will be the heavy lift that determines LSU’s seriousness.

Receivers

Let’s start with the most important and expensive position for LSU to carry a big stick at. The market is fairly limited with such a drain on WR talent in the 2024 draft. There are a bunch of productive true freshman, but most of them are at programs that can easily retain their guys or in the case of Texas and Alabama, out-punch LSU. As a result, LSU’s not going to catch any breaks, they’ll have to earn this.

1: Nick Marsh, Michigan State (6’3, 210)

Ryan Williams wasn’t the only 17 year-old superhero at WR this year. Michigan State’s Nick Marsh received less notoriety, but was just as good. Unlike Williams, Marsh has a bigger, more mature frame that is built to dominate outside, destroy contact, force corners way off the line, and command Safety help. With size, explosiveness, route-running, production beyond his years, and two years remaining, there’s no financial figure that LSU should be afraid of shelling out to get this future top-10 pick. Would happily top $2 million for Marsh.

2: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (6’1, 195)

Tyson is one of the breakout stars of the 2024 season and fits the prototype of what LSU needs. He has great length and physicality for his size, is dominant on 50/50 balls, is dangerous after the catch, and disengages defenders easily at the line. He’s a proven producer, carrying the ASU offense to the Big 12 title game with 75 catches, 1000 yards, and 10 TDs. He’s the do-it-all ball-winner this offense was missing.

3: Elic Ayomanor, Stanford (6’2, 210)

Ayomanor was on last year’s list for a reason, he would have changed this offense. The only man in two years of FBS football to humiliate Travis Hunter, Ayomanor had another nice year in 2024 for Stanford despite volume stats suppressed by a bad offense. Stylistically, he is a bully (despite being Canadian). He’s not insanely fast, but he presents a serious vertical threat by being great at the catch point and explosive off the line like an Anquan Boldin or AJ Brown. He cannot be left 1v1 and creates opportunities for LSU’s slot guys in the middle.

4: Denzel Boston, Washington (6’4, 210)

A late-bloomer who took a while to get comfortable in his frame, Denzel Boston is ready to become one of the scariest X receivers in the sport. He has elite length at 6’4, smooth feet, and good burst. The length makes him un-pressable and creates a huge catch radius, but what I like most about him is his movement within that frame. With a touch more seasoning as a route runner, Boston is Biletnikoff good. He’s on the way already, with 800 yards and 9 TDs this year. Imagine him with Garrett Nussmeier.

5: Dane Key, Kentucky (6’3, 210)

Dane Key is one that people expected to possibly enter the NFL draft, but with first-round talent that’s been kept down by inept offenses, he is entering the portal to raise his stock. He’s very similar to the other guys listed here, with size, length, speed, and ball-winning. He’s an elite vertical threat with a great catch radius, kind of like a slightly slower but more physical Brian Thomas Jr.

Others to Watch: KC Concepcion (NC State), Eric Singleton (Georgia Tech), Jayce Brown (Kansas State), Will Sheppard (Colorado).

Safeties

Moving next to the other position at which LSU needs a superstar, this one is a bit less expensive but is still a heavy lift.

1: Dillon Thieneman, Purdue (6’0, 207)

Thieneman had a “down” year in a Purdue defense that was horrendously constructed, but make no mistake, he’s the best S in the country not named Caleb Downs. He’s a complete player who thrives best in coverage on the back-end, with man coverage skills and elite range that makes him a weapon in all coverages. With a coaching change in West Lafayette, he’s already entered the portal, the search should start and end here.

2: Koi Perich, Minnesota (6’1, 200)

Despite almost being named after two separate fish, Perich is one of the best football players in the country. He’s a great Safety with skills in coverage and elite athleticism, dominating the Big 10 immediately as a true freshman. In addition to Safety, Perich returns kicks and has gotten snaps on offense, he’s the new Cooper DeJean. Prying him from Minnesota may prove impossible, he was a top 100 recruit out of HS and went to Minnesota because he’s from there. He already had the chance to go to a big program and didn’t, so it’s likely he’ll stay in Minneapolis, but it’s worth trying.

3: Tao Johnson, Utah (6’1, 196)

Johnson is a bit more of a project than I’d usually prefer, but he had a breakout year in coverage for Utah and possesses elite upside. He is long, rangy, extremely physical, and versatile. He can play in the box, in the slot, and deep, which gives LSU the multiplicity it’ll need considering how murky the specific need at S and STAR is with all the youth back there.

4: Terry Moore, Duke (6’1, 200)

Moore enjoyed a sophomore breakout for Duke, posting an elite PFF coverage grade of 89.2. While not the level of star LSU needs, Moore would serve as an instant stabilizer at S who can do a lot well, which is far from a bad thing to get.

Others to Watch: Kamari Ramsey (USC), Jahron Manning (Old Dominion), Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina), Travor Randle (ULM).

Edge Defenders

LSU Edges coach Kevin Peoples is an elite developer of talent as we’ve seen with Bradyn Swinson. The LSU defense utilizes two separate types of edge defenders in their usual fronts, the DE and the JACK.

The DE is more of a typical 4-down end, someone who is 6’3, 260 or bigger with long arms and power. The JACK is more like a 3-4 OLB, standing up with a frame around 6’2, 235 or bigger with speed and bend. LSU may need one of each, but they have some internal options at DE including Gabe Reliford, who may force his way into the lineup. The bigger need is at JACK, which is a more important pass-rush spot.

1: R. Mason Thomas, Oklahoma (6’2, 240)

He and the QB may need to settle a few differences, but R Mason Thomas broke out big over the back half of the season for OU. We know he can do it against the competition he’ll be facing, and if you can beat Will Campbell around the corner like this you have NFL level juice. He is likely to continue ascending, but Oklahoma has to rebuild its entire offense through the portal. With huge money being spent at QB, WR, and Tackle, it’s worth a shot for LSU to see if they’re willing to match a big offer for Thomas. Think of it like offer-sheeting a restricted free agent in the NFL or NHL. It’s a long shot but Missouri did it to one of their tackles last year, so who knows?

2: David Bailey, Stanford (6’3, 240)

Bailey is a similar player to Swinson, but more talented. He leans on his explosiveness around the edge, but has decent strength and can convert his speed to power to go through tackles that open themselves up. He only recorded 6 sacks this year, but his underlying metrics indicate a hidden superstar. Posting an elite pass-rush win rate, the most important determinant of sustainability and impact, of 24%, he ranked ahead of names like Abdul Carter, James Pearce Jr, and Princely Umanmielen. His pressure percentage (percent of pass rush snaps in which he generated pressure) of 20.7% led the Power 4. Bailey may be hard to pry away from home, but a big season in the SEC could propel him into first-round discussion.

3: Clev Lubin, Costal Carolina (6’3, 245)

No tampering will be needed here, as Lubin announced his intention to enter the portal on Monday. The numbers above speak for themselves, but beneath the surface, they tell the same story, with a win rate of 20.2%. Lubin is a bit more powerful than Bailey but is less explosive and obviously lacks the production at the P4 level Bailey offers. However, Lubin is a young, ascending player with a lot of talent. He’s a bit stiffer, but has the heavy hands and explosiveness to go through tackles and win with his hands. I would trust Peoples to develop his repertoire a bit more and get the most out of him.

Others to Watch: Mikail Kamara (Indiana), Matthew Fobbs-White (Tulane), Eric O’Neill (JMU).

Interior Offensive Line

1: Omar Aigbedion, G, Baylor (6’3, 310)

Aigbedion is a people mover on the inside who has a background at Montana State, an offense that runs the ball at an elite level and teaches the fundamentals in a way befitting of that. System background and teaching history are important when looking for run-blocking, and there are few places you’d rather look than Bozeman. In 2024 made the leap to the P4 level and continued to dominate. As he continues his ascension, he would give LSU the physicality and technique it needs at guard to begin fixing the run game.

2: Brady Wilson C, UAB (6’2, 300)

While LSU has a starter at C, he did not do enough to guarantee his job, and with his huge size (6’6, 322) Chester could move to guard to allow him to focus more on the athletic elements of playing OL instead of having to handle all the calls and adjustments. His body type is more typical of a guard than a center anyway, and this could help LSU fix multiple issues at once. Wilson is a proven, experienced center who would provide instant stability at the position.

3: Tomas Rimac G, WVU (6’6, 315)

Part of the OL factory featuring names like Zach Frazier and Wyatt Milum that WVU OL Coach Matt Moore created during the tenure of Neal Brown, Rimac is a quality player who would provide LSU a solid starting guard with a lot of experience.

Others to Watch: Weston Wallace (G, Georgia Southern), Mickey Rewolinski (G, Eastern Michigan)