PALMER: Ranking LSU position groups 1-10

By Hunt Palmer

I spent the last two weeks breaking down LSU’s position groups one-by-one.

I’ve spent the last five days watching about three hours of the team practice. A month remains between now and kickoff in South Carolina, but the 2025 LSU squad is taking its shape as camp begins.

Where are the strengths? Where are the questions? Where are the concerns?

I have some of all three.

I decided to break this out into the groups that have position coaches. So, the offensive line is lumped together. The defensive tackles and ends are separated. So are the corners and safeties.

We’ll start at the top.

1. Edge

• This group looks great on paper, and through nearly a week of camp, I’ve been every bit that impressed. Jack Pyburn, Patrick Payton and Jimari Butler have all made plays in the backfield, and Gabriel Reliford has kept up with the older players step for step. Dylan Carpenter would probably be in line for some playing time if he were somewhere else. The combination of talent, depth and Kevin Peoples directing the position makes it the top choice for me. I’m also sprinkling a little bit of Harold Perkins in this discussion, too.

2. Wide Receiver

• I don’t see a weakness here. Even with Aaron Anderson on the sideline, this group looks scary. Barion Brown is cooking defensive backs on deep balls daily. Chris Hilton is doing great work in the intermediate game. His ability to stretch the field is well-documented. Kyle Parker had a big day on Saturday. Nic Anderson was full speed on Friday and Saturday. Destyn Hill was the star of Wednesday’s workout. Zavion Thomas is making plays, too. There’s so much speed and experience here. Again, it’s scary.

3. Quarterback

• This is star-driven. Garrett Nussmeier is as proven a quarterback as returns to college football. He’s showing that daily in 7-on-7. When 11-on-11 action gets going and those edge rushers start flying around, it hasn’t been as crisp. Nussmeier has been pressured. He’s still a huge positive for this team, and this third ranking reflects that. However, Michael Van Buren has struggled early in camp. His timing and accuracy haven’t been very good. Much of the same can be said for Colin Hurley who missed the spring after the car accident. There’s a drop-off after Nussmeier at quarterback.

4. Tight End

• LSU worked with two or three tight ends on the field a lot on Saturday. I expect to see a significant amount of two tight ends sets during the season. Bauer Sharp is a really good athlete who has showed sure hands early on, and Trey’dez Green is a phenomenal chess piece to move around in the passing game. Donovan Green is also in his fourth college season and knows how to block. LSU’s tight ends are going to combine for a big year.

5. Safety

• This is a massive step up from where this group ranked last year, and that’s intentional. After pouring over the stat sheet and then seeing him in person, I believe AJ Haulcy is going to be a difference maker. I think he’ll make plays on the ball and come down to stuff the run. His physical size is impressive. The other spot is up for grabs. Jardin Gilbert is the incumbent. Deshawn Spears is the up-and-comer. Tamarcus Cooley is lightening quick, and Javien Toviano is getting reps. Between those last four, one needs to emerge as a playmaker. I like those odds.

6. Linebacker

• LSU is going to be awesome at linebacker, and I have the group ranked sixth. The spot opposite Whit Weeks is being occupied by West Weeks right now. Davhon Keys is nipping at West’s heels there, and Tylen Singleton and Charles Ross are getting reps. Harold Perkins is healthy. For these purposes, his ever-shifting role probably dings the group a little. But that’s with the understanding that he’s a potential game-wrecker, too.

7. Running Back

• There is so much upside here. But I have to keep in mind that Kaleb Jackson has run for 315 yards total in two years and Harlem Berry has never played a snap. I’m not going to factor in offensive line play here. This is just a running back group ranking, so with that in mind, I think the talent level is awesome. Durham ripped off a gorgeous long run on Saturday, and Berry has added good weight. JuJuan Johnson can be added to this group after what we saw at practice, so the depth is not as big a concern anymore.

8. Cornerback

• This is the part of the exercise where some of my real question marks come in. Cornerback play at LSU is graded on a tough curve. Every potential starter has had his ups and downs in college. Ashton Stamps is a two-year starter on bad pass defenses. Mansoor Delane allowed seven touchdowns last year. Ja’Keem Jackson was beaten twice on Saturday in 1-on-1s. PJ Woodland is 165 lbs. DJ Pickett is just a freshman. Now, Corey Raymond is pretty damn good at this, and he’s got a seasoned group outside of Pickett. There’s length, athleticism and talent in this group. It’s an upgrade over the last two years. We’ll have a really good idea of what this group is after the Clemson game.

9. Defensive Tackle

• Just through four days of camp, the rotation here has been steady. Ahmad Breaux and Dominick McKinley ran with the ones on Wednesday. Jacobian Guillory stepped in for some of those snaps Saturday. Bernard Gooden has made more than a handful of plays in the backfield early on. I can’t say I’ve noticed Sydir Mitchell much. While there is significant upside at the position, it’s hard to call any of the key contributors “proven” at this point. Breaux and McKinley held their own last year. Gooden was good in the American Conference. Guillory tore his Achilles. Kyle Williams has some work to do with his first college position group. I’ll say this, Gooden is one to keep an eye on after week one.

10. Offensive Line

• It’s been a mixed bag with this group so far. The first few days of August are not a time for panic, and that’s panic is not warranted right now. The Baylor win is probably a more important data point than three practices. Nussmeier has been under some heat the first week, but I’ve taken that as a positive for the edge guys who have looked really good. I like the move of Braelin Moore to center and like the talent level of Tyree Adams and Weston Davis at tackle. It’s just a step down from last year with a top five pick at one tackle and a third rounder at the other. The cliche says “you’re only as strong as your weakest link”, and I think it applies to the LSU football team in 2025.