PALMER: LSU’s Top 5 portal needs

By Hunt Palmer

College football’s transfer portal opened on Monday.

Every program nationwide other than Clemson will be working the phones and assembling a roster for 2025. Last portal season LSU was very much in the market for defensive tackles. Ultimately, the Tigers were outbid at the top of the market and settled for lower end talent.

Brian Kelly has indicated that will not be the case this time around.

LSU’s coaching staff understands that leaning on Louisiana natives coming back home won’t solve the problems on the roster. And those problems do exist. Undoubtedly LSU will suffer some more portal losses in addition to the 10 players who made those intentions known last week. When that happens, new needs may move to the forefront.

As of today, these are the Top 5 needs LSU needs to address in the transfer portal.

1. Wide Receiver- Kyren Lacy, CJ Daniels, Landon Ibieta and Shelton Sampson are out the door. Kyle Parker is returning from a triceps injury. Right now, the only healthy wide receiver options for 2025 are Aaron Anderson, Zavion Thomas, Chris Hilton and the two signees in TaRon Francis and Phillip Wright III. That’s not enough talent. LSU needs a clear No. 1 option out of the portal. As I wrote last week, the sales pitch is an easy one. LSU churns wide receivers into the NFL as well as any program in the country. A fifth-year senior quarterback is set to return after finishing in the Top 10 in the country in passing, and the depth chart is wide open. LSU should land the best wide receiver in the portal.

2. Edge Rusher- Kevin Peoples did a fantastic job with Bradyn Swinson and Sai’vion Jones this year. Both improved drastically from 2023, and both should hear their name called in the NFL Draft. That wasn’t a lock four months ago. Their departure, along with the transfer of Da’Shawn Womack, leaves a void on the edges. Gabriel Reliford garnered some late playing time and has the talent to be an All-SEC performer. He’s just unproven. Dylan Carpenter has ideal size but hasn’t made much of an impact in two years. Kolaj Cobbins had a fantastic fall camp but only played in one game as a true freshman. CJ Jackson did not see the field. Rushing the passer is a vital piece to the winning puzzle, and this entire returning position group has totaled all of half a sack in college. Damien Shanklin is the lone edge player in the signing class, so it’s time to go shopping. Last year Ole Miss landed Princely Umanmielen. He posted 10.5 sacks. Texas A&M landed Nic Scourton who should be picked in the Top 15 in the draft. That’s the type of impact LSU needs to land here.

3. Left Tackle- I got specific here because the best linemen typically play left tackle. Would I complain if LSU landed an elite center instead? No. But a left tackle would be atop the wish list. Emery Jones hasn’t publicly made a decision. He could theoretically move over to the left side. But LSU is probably best off if Jones stays on the right side and an All-Conference caliber player mans the left. Tyree Adams could kick down to guard to compete with Paul Mubenga and players like Coen Echols and Weston Davis. Brad Davis has assembled a host of promising young players, but none of them have proven themselves to be elite players. DJ Chester had his issues as a freshman center. Mubenga struggled mightily when called upon before improving over the last two weeks. LSU needs a proven piece along the front, and left tackle makes the most sense.

4. Tight End- This one is pretty simple. The most productive tight end in school history is moving on, and the two guys waiting in the wings to replace him can’t block. Ka’Morreun Pimpton and Trey’dez Green will be better blockers on Labor Day than they are today, but those guys are still going to be pass catchers. That’s the skillset. LSU needs a 260 lbs. tight end to help block. If he can catch, great. Everyone associated with LSU football knows the Tigers must run the ball better next season. A tight end can help with that. Go get one.

5. Quarterback- This is a tricky spot. Most quarterbacks in the portal are looking to start. It’s unlikely a transfer quarterback will beat Nussmeier out. Rickie Collins has moved on, so AJ Swann and Collin Hurley are behind Nussmeier. In a perfect world LSU would find a young quarterback willing to sit a year and compete for the starting job in 2026. What feels more likely is another Swann-type addition. Then a big push for the top transfers in 2025-26. Bryce Underwood’s flip has muddied LSU’s quarterback future. Kelly and his staff will try to address that now but may have to wait a year.