By Hunt Palmer
LSU’s championship era has been littered with elite wide receiver play.
Even Tiger teams that struggled at times to throw the ball featured wide outs like Rueben Randle, Odell Beckham Jr., DJ Chark and Russell Gage.
All of those players enjoyed or are enjoying extended NFL careers.
Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas left a massive void in the 2024 receiving corps, but LSU managed to finish second in the SEC in passing yards and lead the league in completions.
Kyren Lacy is out of eligibility. CJ Daniels will enter the transfer portal. So will Shelton Sampson. And Landon Ibieta.
Aaron Anderson and Zavion Thomas figure to return, but Chris Hilton still has a decision to make. Kyle Parker is on the mend from a season-ending triceps injury.
Returning production is scarce.
Lacy, Daniels, Mason Taylor and Josh Williams accounted for 184 catches and 2141 receiving yards. That’s 57 percent of the yards and 58 percent of the catches.
Anderson, Thomas and Parker are al sub-6-foot and feature similar skill sets. Anderson is a little shiftier than the other two. Thomas is a little faster. Parker is a little more technically sound. Neither of the three can be relied on to high point jump balls or consistently stretch the field.
That may make wide receiver the most important position in the transfer portal for LSU.
Elite playmakers come available each year.
Alabama landed Jameson Williams from Ohio State and Jermaine Burton from Georgia. Texas brought in Isaiah Bond from Alabama. Keon Coleman left Michigan State for Florida State and helped the ‘Noles finish unbeaten. Jordan Addison won the Biletnikoff Award at Pitt and bolted for USC.
Those are high profile school to high profile school, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Ole Miss plucked Tre Harris from Louisiana Tech. He was the best wide receiver in the country this year when healthy. Arkansas found Andrew Armstrong at Texas A&M-Commerce. He finished the season fourth in the country in receiving yards per game this year.
LSU has plenty to sell to prospective wide receivers.
Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson currently sit No. 1 and No. 2 in the NFL in receiving yards. They’re about to sit No. 1 and No. 2 in the NFL in receiving contracts. No, they didn’t play for this staff, but it doesn’t hurt.
Malik Nabers leads rookies in receiving yards per game this year, and he’s essentially had Tin Man, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion trying to get him the football in New York. Brian Thomas is fourth on that list.
The pipeline of wide receivers from LSU to the NFL is as healthy as any school in the country.
I’ve already alluded to the production walking out the door. There are yards and catches to be had by the truckload in this offense.
The biggest variable here is Nussmeier. He has remained quiet while some of his teammates, namely his left tackle and tight end, have declared for the draft. If he comes back, he becomes LSU’s main recruiter.
Then there’s the money, and LSU reportedly has it.
While grabbing a run blocking tight end is essential for this 2025 team, that shouldn’t be too pricy. Wide receiver will be. Brian Kelly has been tasked with allocating the available funds to his roster year over year. This needs to top the list.
Kentucky had Barion Brown and Dane Key declare for the portal. Brown is a speedseter who set Kentucky record for kickoff return scores. Key is 6-foot-3 and caught 715 yards worth of balls in a Kentucky passing offense that would have made Les Miles blush.
Micah Hudson was the first five-star to ever sign with Texas Tech. He missed a month of his freshman season with a stress fracture. He’s entering the portal.
Dozens more high-profile players will follow suit.
This sales pitch is a pretty easy one. Take it from a recovering salesman.
NFL pipeline. Early access to playing time. Draftable quarterback. SEC exposure. Cash.
Anyone open?
