Tigers finally get their safety
LSU’s outstanding work in the transfer portal continued into Monday and the Tigers finally addressed their biggest remaining hole: safety.
Former NC State safety Tamarcus Cooley announced he would be transferring to LSU late Monday afternoon. Per the On3 industry rankings, Cooley was the No. 71 overall player in the portal and the second highest ranked safety. He picked LSU after taking visits to Ole Miss and Kentucky among other schools.
Cooley began his collegiate career at Maryland and took a redshirt before transferring to NC State this season. Cooley put himself on the map in 2024 with 39 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2.5 TFLs, a sack and a forced fumble.
Cooley was NC State’s highest rated defensive player per ProFootballFocus and one of the better DBs in the ACC this past season. He led all ACC safeties with seven pass breakups.
Cooley figures to be a starter the second he makes it to campus and he has three seasons of eligibility remaining. He’ll be a redshirt sophomore in 2025 meaning he’ll be eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft so there’s a chance he’s only in Baton Rouge for a season. Personally I look at it as a win-win. If Cooley does have a strong enough season to go pro, that probably means LSU had a good season; if he doesn’t well then you’ll get a multi-year starter back in 2026.
Cooley is LSU’s 16th transfer addition and while they finally added a safety, don’t be surprised if the staff adds a second one. Safety was the biggest hole on LSU’s defense in 2024 and they desperately need a talent upgrade at the position. Cooley’s a good start, now let’s see if they add another.