Weston Davis back, holding off competition at RT

By Hunt Palmer

LSU’s offensive line received a talent infusion in January.

Lane Kiffin and offensive line coach Eric Wolford brought in eight transfers on the front to build around incumbent center Braelin Moore. Right tackle Weston Davis also returned, but his spot was far less secure.

After a month of spring practices, Davis has held off all comers at the position.

“He’s got to work on consistency like a lot of young players, you know, playing down to down,” Kiffin said. “He’s done some really good things. Flashed at times. It’s why we have him there. I have high expectations for him.”

Davis was a five-star recruit when he signed with LSU in 2024. Texas A&M, Alabama, Oklahoma and Miami were in the mix, and LSU won out for the 6-foot-6 former basketball player.

As a redshirt freshman, Davis struggled early at right tackle. Through eight games, his highest Pro Football focus grade against an FBS opponent was 52.2. He posted back-t0-back pass blocking grades under 27.0 against Vanderbilt and South Carolina.

Still, he continued to progress and played his best three games late against Western Kentucky, a top 10 defense in Oklahoma and Houston.

When nearly all of his position group hit the portal, Davis stayed put. He’s now a huge piece to what many expect to be an explosive offense. The quarterback, assuming health, is a dynamic playmaker, and the weapons around him are plentiful. It’s up to the offensive line to allow that group to make plays.

“We talked about the quarterback playing well and how valuable that is to teams and wins,” Kiffin said. “You see it in the NFL. They’ll have a premier quarterback, and he’ll get hurt and all of a sudden that coach and the rest team’s not very good. Well, who protects them? The tackles, that’s why they make a lot of money. So, him playing well is very critical.”

Sean Thompkins has starting experience at tackle from his Baylor days. Devin Harper was a big-time recruit LSU’s previous staff coveted. He ended up with Kiffin at Ole Miss. Now he’s at LSU competing up front. Derrin Strey‘s measurables are elite, and he comes from an SEC program in Kentucky.

Davis held his ground entering summer workouts, and he’s part of the plan looking ahead to the fall. If Kiffin’s next offense is going to produce at the clip he’s accustomed to, Davis has to perform at a higher level.

“Look at our blueprint from where we just came,” Kiffin said. “We had two tackles play really, really well in pass protection all year long for the quarterback, and it helps the quarterback play really well.”