PALMER: LSU’s five most indispensable players

By Hunt Palmer

Depth is difficult to cultivate in this era of college football.

The transfer portal knifes away at power four depth annually as reserves look for more assured playing time. There’s also a financial component to that process. The more valuable you are to a program on the field, the more likely you are to be compensated.

LSU has built exceptional depth on this 2025 roster.

There has been competition all over the field during fall camp. That’s ongoing on the offensive line, defensive front and defensive backfield. The hope is that the competition has made LSU better. The byproduct is depth.

Let’s nail down some of the spots where there might be a more significant drop-off should LSU take on a few injuries. It’s been a well-run camp from that perspective, but a 12-game grind always yields bumps and bruises.

(If you’re the type who believes heavily in jinxes, think of this as a positive that these guys ARE on the LSU roster.)

1. Garrett Nussmeier, QB

This one goes without saying. Nussmeier leads all FBS returners in passing yards from a year ago. He’s a fifth-year senior with short Heisman odds. Without his presence on the field, LSU will have to change the entire offense, and that would be big, big trouble.

Written in a more chipper tone, LSU has a star at quarterback. Teams with a stars at quarterback tend to have a drop off from starter to backup. Michael Van Buren is the next man up, but that would compromise this LSU team

2. Whit Weeks, LB

Whit Weeks finished second in the Southeastern Conference in tackles a season ago and has been named to multiple preseason All-America teams this summer. Weeks has an elite combination of speed and motor that keeps him around the football all the time. Should he miss time, as he has to ease his workload returning from the leg injury, LSU will have an inside linebacker duo of West Weeks and probably Tylen Singleton, though Davhon Keys has experience.

The older Weeks has made three solo tackles in each of the last two seasons in Baton Rouge, and Singleton played five defensive snaps all season as a freshman. Five snaps and six total tackles is one drive for Whit Weeks. West and Singleton are both talented players who will play a lot for LSU, but losing Whit really cuts deep at the linebacker spot.

3. AJ Haulcy, S

LSU has rotated five safeties during camp, so numbers aren’t the issue here. LSU could replace Haulcy with a talented player—likely Jardin Gilbert or Dashawn Spears. This has more to do with the impact I believe Haulcy is going to have on this team. I think he’s a “difference maker” in the truest form of the term.

Haulcy has great size, good speed and exceptional instincts. To me, he represents the elixir to LSU’s safety problems from a year ago. I expect Haulcy to challenge for the team lead in tackles and to make a few plays on the ball in the passing game. It’s what he’s done for three years elsewhere. And it’s what we’ve seen in camp. Again, LSU has real depth at safety. I think Haulcy is that good.

4. Braelin Moore, C

Moore has dropped an anchor at the center position this fall. After rotating with incumbent middle-man DJ Chester in the spring, the Virginia Tech transfer has won the job. Brian Kelly praised Moore’s work earlier this week, and it’s been noticeable in one-on-ones with the defensive tackles.

Moore provides a veteran presence and consistent performance at the spot. Should he miss time, Chester would slide into his role from 2024 without the stalwarts at guard in Garrett Dellinger and Miles Frazier. LSU 2025 guards, whoever they may be, need a strong center. Moore provides that.

5. Caden Durham, RB

This time last year, my expectation for Durham as a true freshman were low. He had just arrived in June, and LSU had veterans in Josh Williams and John Emery back. Plus, Kaleb Jackson was expected to take a big step forward after a freshman season that included a handful of highlights. Instead, Durham became LSU’s lead back in September at South Carolina.

Fully recovered from those nagging dislocated toes from last season, Durham has had an exceptional camp. His style is built for this offensive line that is still trying to patch holes. He makes first tacklers miss quite often and has home run speed when a hole does open. He’s hit those long plays almost daily at practice. Should Durham miss time, Jackson and freshman Harlem Berry would be thrust into more action, and neither is the complete back Durham is.