By Hunt Palmer
Braelin Moore wanted to test himself, so he entered the transfer portal.
When he pledged his commitment to LSU, he was told he needed to bulk up to endure the rigors of an SEC schedule at center.
No problem.
“The food is so good,” Moore said. “My first couple of months here, I came in undersized, and that was just because I didn’t play in the bowl game kinda was sitting around for a little bit. So, when they emphasized SEC, gotta get bigger, I came in and put 15 pounds on really easy. I had to lean it out a little bit, but it’s a lot easier to keep weight on down here.”
Moore knew upon arrival that starting job was not assured. Four Tiger offensive linemen were drafted, which was appealing, but the lone returner was center DJ Chester. Moore, a center, was going to have to earn his spot.
Offensive line coach Brad Davis made sure of that.
“I knew coming in that DJ was here,” Moore said. “He had a good year last year. I knew they weren’t just going to hand me the keys. All spring I was running with the twos. Here and there they put me in with the ones. I just had it inside that I had to prove myself to this team who I am as a player. Then I feel like throughout the spring and early summer that I did that. They trusted me a lot more.”
Moore has become the centerpiece of the 2025 version of the LSU offensive line. LSU has rotated both guard positions beside him, and right tackle is still a competition. Moore hasn’t budged from the starting center spot since the open of camp.
Over the last four weeks, LSU has poured hours into developing a consistent running game. That has eluded the LSU offense in recent years, and winning at the highest level without a ground attack is essentially an impossibility.
While he’s not a 330 lbs. road grader, Moore feels his best traits shine in the running game.
“I’m smaller than a typical o-lineman these days, not 6-foot-5. But I use my attributes well,” Moore said. “I have great leverage. I’m quick. I can get to the second level and push dudes onto people and create run seams. I feel like I can help this run game.”
Those run seams haven’t shown up as consistently as Moore and the LSU offense would like, but practice after practice has produced explosive runs. Running back Caden Durham, a shorter player himself, doesn’t need much space to break free.
As those explosive runs show up more and more often, the LSU offensive line is gaining confidence.
“I think we’ve taken huge strides,” Moore said. “When I was here in the spring, we were inserting new plays and juts learning the details of each play. I think now we’ve increased some plays. We’ve scored on some big runs, and I’m excited.”
With camp in the rearview, Moore is focused on the 2025 season and living out the path he set for himself in the transfer portal. As a three-star recruit, he earned his way to the field quickly at Virginia Tech, a solid program in a power four league.
He felt there was more for him. So, he assessed his options and landed at LSU.
“I think there were multiple reasons, but the two that really hit home for me were, I wanted to get developed better. I felt like I had more in the tank, and I really didn’t hit it. And I also wanted to play in meaningful games,” Moore said. “I want to win a national championship and play with the best. I feel like that will help me as a person, as a player, as a leader.”
His development will be a work in progress all season long. The big games will come more quickly. LSU opens with a top five Clemson team in a week, and a huge matchup with Florida awaits two weeks later.
As the rest of the offensive line settles in, it’ll be Moore in the middle leading the way.
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