A year ago, Nike partnered with LSU student athletes as part of its Blue Ribbon Elite Program.
In Year 2, 11 Tiger football players comprise the largest class in the country.
- RB Caden Durham
- CB DJ Pickett
- RB Harlem Berry
- QB Husan Longstreet
- WR Jayce Brown
- OL Jordan Seaton
- DL Lamar Brown
- DL Princewill Umanmielen
- TE Trey’Dez Green
- S Ty Benefield
- LB Whit Weeks
The group makes a lot of sense.
Offensively, Berry, Durham, Seaton, Brown and Green figure to be pillars around quarterback Sam Leavitt.
Berry and Durham were the team’s leading rushers a year ago, and Green set the LSU single-season record for tight end touchdown receptions.
Seaton will play left tackle and is projected first round pick. Brown is the most accomplished transfer wide receiver in the loaded portal class. Those two were hot commodities on during the portal cycle and landed with LSU.
On defense, Princewill Umanmielen and Ty Benefield were the top-rated transfers. Both put up huge numbers a season ago and had options in the winter. DJ Pickett and Whit Weeks are the stars of the returning unit. Weeks has been an All-American, and Pickett was On3’s National Defensive True Freshman of the Year.
The last two are the most interesting.
Huson Longstreet figures to be the backup quarterback to Leavitt. Brown has never played a college snap. He was the top ranked player in the prep ranks this cycle.
The investment in those two could impact 2026 but is more likely to be felt in 2027 and beyond as they become upperclassmen. The partnership with Nike doesn’t bind the duo to LSU, but its certainly an added benefit of being in the program.
It’s clear the Tiger staff and Nike value those players moving forward.
Nike grants these athletes a larger platform for products and content. Schools like Texas, Clemson, South Carolina and USC are also involved with the program.
