Dashawn Spears shined in his role a season ago.
It was just a small role.
The former top 100 recruit has been mired in a crowded safety depth chart for two seasons, but he hasn’t allowed his limited playing time to influence a transfer. He’s kept working.
Meeting with the media last week, Spears called LSU his “dream school,” and now he’ll get a chance to start in a new role, the STAR in Blake Baker’s defense. It’s a change of pace from his safety and Dime roles, but Spears has taken to it.
“I’ve embraced it pretty well,” Spears said. “Definitely had to put like five pounds of weight on just because I’m in the box and tackling, but it’s a good role for me. Last year I played third down package as the dime and kind of similar way of playing STAR. So, I think it’s a good role for me.”
Spears only played 168 of LSU’s 797 defensive snaps. He made his reps count, grading out a team-best 90.6 on Pro Football Focus. The highlight was a two-interception effort against Florida that included a 60-yard pick six.
Dashawn Spears is my #1 breakout candidate for the 2027 NFL Draft
6’3, 210lb safety who flashed a TON in just 250 snaps last season pic.twitter.com/XCxtGGv1TM
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) May 7, 2026
He’s now filling the role Harold Perkins played a season ago. The STAR spot hovers closer to the line of scrimmage and involves coverage responsibilities in addition to run-stopping demands.
“I’ll probably say I had a little bit of growing pains,” Spears said. “Obviously first starting playing STAR during the spring and a little bit in the summer, but I think I’m a perfect fit for it being a versatile player. Coming in for the run. Obviously, I can guard…So, I think it’s a real good role for me.”
Spears had had to adjust to the new position quickly as the Tiger defense works daily against a new up-tempo offense installed by Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. That offensive pace doesn’t allow much time for processing. The new pace has expedited the learning curve for Spears and the rest of the Tiger defense.
Spears believes learning at a fast pace has slowed traditional pace down.
“It’s definitely slowed down for us them being a tempo team,” Spears said. “It slowed down for us probably because we’re now just getting used to that fast pace of Lane Kiffin’s offense and just them going fast and us trying to adapt fast. It’s in a sense slowed down for us.”
The secondary features as much continuity as any position on the field for the Tigers. Spears will be joined by returners Tamarcus Cooley, DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland. Boise State transfer Ty Benefield rounds out a veteran group loaded with talent.
