(photo credit: @EmilePicarella on X)
By Matt Moscona
LSU bolstered its quarterback depth for 2025 when Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab prospect Emile Picarella announced he would join the program as a preferred walk-on.
Happy Birthday to me! I can’t wait to live out my dream. Thank you for the opportunity, Coach Sloan @joesloan @CoachBrianKelly @jordanarcement @nathanpurvis pic.twitter.com/Xo03qCZwQM
— Emile Picarella (@EmilePicarella) February 4, 2025
The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder is a consensus three-star who passed on a handful of Power Four offers to walk-on for his hometown team. Among his known offers are Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Oregon and Kentucky.
Picarella began his high school career in Mississippi before transferring to U-High in May 2023. As a junior in 2023, he threw for more than 2,300 yards and 34 touchdowns before seeing his numbers dip with the Cubs in 2024.
LSU did not sign a quarterback in the 2025 class after No. 1 prospect Bryce Underwood flipped to Michigan a week before signing day. The Tigers did add transfer Michael Van Buren from Mississippi State in the December transfer portal cycle.
Garrett Nussmeier returns for his fifth season in 2025 along with redshirt freshman Colin Hurley.
