After the worst academic year in sixty years, it’s time to get that rectified.
LSU’s football team has a few days left in fall camp. Basketball is hitting the court. Well, both courts, the practice variety and the room of law. Baseball is getting settled in for a competitive fall semester.
You asked some questions. I’ll answer them. That’s how this mailbag thing works.
What would be your prediction of where LSU’s offense and defense ranks in the SEC at season’s end?
This is a fun overall look. Keep in mind, I’m not expert on the other 15 teams. At roughly 25 transfers per team, that’s about 375 new faces, and I’ll figure them out as the fall goes. But, I have a good feel for what a top five offense and a bottom five defense are. I know what middle of the pack looks like.
I think LSU will be a top five defense in the SEC, but I don’t think it’s top two because I don’t trust the defense line to dominate. So, I think LSU will rank…fourth in the SEC in total defense.
Offensively, the variables are seemingly endless. Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis’s last three total offenses have ranked first, first and third. That third place finished behind LSU’s 2023 juggernaut. I’ll say this group finishes third. I still need to see them run the ball to fully believe it. That starts with the offensive line. But I think it’ll be a strong offensive unit.
How many actual basketball players does LSU have on their roster at this time? Is there any need to panic?
Right now? Four. Skyy Clark is committed and seeking a fifth year. I feel pretty good about that. He’d make five. Saliou Niang is in Baton Rouge. So is RJ Luis. We learned on Tuesday that Luis will look for an injunction to play, and that case will be heard on Monday. I don’t think his case is very good, but these local court rulings lean with the players.
I do expect that over the next two weeks a few more fifth years get that final year and maybe three European players get eligible.
Will Wade is not going to play with eight guys. They’ll get 12 or so on the roster by the “add-drop class” date in early September.
Who will be the most impactful freshman baseball player in 2027?
I just think Lucas Nawrocki’s pitching profile creates the shortest path to the field. He might be the most effective left-handed pitcher on the roster. He’s not the most experienced, and Logan Schmidt is more projectable, but Nawrocki throws 95 with a wicked slider. That plugs into the bullpen in front of Cooper Williams, Danny Lachenmayer and Ethan Plog, in my opinion.
Who will be the highest drafted player from LSU in the 2027 NFL/MLB Drafts?
Let’s lay some candidates out there first.
In football, I think Jordan Seaton, Ty Benefield and Jordan Ross are the most likely choices. In baseball, it’s Bino Watters, William Schmidt, Casan Evans and Cade Arrambide.
Today, Seaton, Watters, Schmidt and Evans are the most likely first round picks. Watters is a super high floor player, but I’m not sure of his ceiling without watching him day-to-day. Schmidt and Evans have to be better next spring, but one of those guys developing into a top 15 picks is absolutely possible.
I’ll take Seaton because of his profile and position. He’s got growing to do in the running game, but I think he’ll get that coaching this year.
