LSU tried plenty of options at guard in 2025.
None of them worked particularly well. Josh Thompson came in from Northwestern as was solid on the right side. DJ Chester, Coen Echols, Paul Mubenga and Carius Curne had their issues.
Not all of LSU’s struggles in the running game were on the offensive line, but some were. None of those players returned to the roster in 2026, and LSU added a ton up front from a myriad of different backgrounds. Braelin Moore will anchor things in the middle, but LSU needs significantly better guard play beside a healthy Moore to improve in the running game.
WHO’S BACK: Bo Bordelon (5-SR), Brett Bordelon (Fr), Solomon Thomas (Fr)
WHO’S NEW: Aliou Bah (Transfer- Maryland), Devin Harper (Transfer, Ole Miss), Ja’Mard Jones (Transfer- Nicholls), Ja’Quon Sprinkle (Transfer- NC Central)
WHAT WE KNOW
Bo Bordelon has waited his time. He came in the Class of 2022 with Will Campbell, Emery Jones, Mason Taylor and Harold Perkins. Over four seasons, he’s made one start. That was the Texas Bowl that Campbell, Jones and Garrett Dellinger opted out of.
He has played in 42 games on special teams and as a jumbo set tight end. At, 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, he’s got the size and plenty of program experience.
Aliou Bah comes in from Maryland where he started for a couple of years. Originally, he played at Georgia for a season. He’s huge at 6-foot-5 and 327 pounds. He’s started 24 games including all 12 last year at right guard for the Terps. Pro Football focus prefers him in the passing game where he graded 72.3 last year by allowing zero sacks and just two hits on the quarterback. The 54.7 run blocking grade wasn’t as good.
Those two spent the vast majority of the spring with the first unit.
Devin Harper is a swing player for this team. He started the spring with the first team at left guard. When Bordelon took over, he moved to right tackle on the second unit. At 6-foot-4 and 312 pounds, he’s got positional versatility. Those in Oxford suggest Harper was likely to replace one of two Ole Miss tackles who both departed last year. He played 57 snaps at right tackle last year and seven more at left. On3 called him the No. 5 offensive tackle in the country in last year’s high school class. Harper has four years of eligibility remaining.
Ja’Mard Jones and Ja’Quan Sprinkle come from lower levels. Sprinkle is a fourth-year junior who started two years at North Carolina Central. Jones comes from Nicholls where he started four games as a true freshman. He’s intriguing because he’s 6-foot-2 and 312 pounds but also scored 1,000 points on the basketball court for Rummel as a high schooler.
Brett Bordelon could actually be a factor at center. He’s snapped the ball a little bit in his year on campus. At 6-foot-4 and 276 pounds, he’s on the lighter side. He just redshirted which doesn’t really matter anymore. He’ll have four more years.
We just don’t know much about former five-star Solomon Thomas. He could be a tackle. He could be a guard. What he has been is hurt. He got injured in fall camp, missed the season and still wasn’t a full participant during the spring. Foot injuries are not kind to big men. At 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, Thomas certainly qualifies.
HUNT’S TAKE
I’d pretty rather shocked if Bo Bordelon and Bah weren’t the starters against Clemson.
Bordelon very clearly had a good spring, and he’s got some real athleticism that fits the pace Lane Kiffin wants to play with. Bah was a big time high school talent with Power Conference experience and plenty of size.
I don’t think either player projects as a high NFL Draft pick, but they’re old and seasoned. With Moore at center, you’re talking about an extremely old interior of the offensive line.
Harper offers the youth and upside. he will very likely be starter at one of the four “non-center” spots in 2027. He can also fill in when someone inevitably goes down.
I think it’s fair to call Jones and Sprinkle projects and the younger Bordelon a year away from serious playing time consideration. Considering his brother’s path to the field and family history with LSU, it’s likely he stays and sticks it out.
Overall, LSU looks to be is good shape at guard. I would hesitate to call it a dominant unit. Communication is so vital on the offensive line interior, and those three feel like good bets to understand the offense and execute a job.
So much of LSU’s offensive success is going to hinge on the offensive line. Guard and right tackle are the biggest question marks there.
