Brian Kelly names three freshmen ready to make impact for LSU

LSU head coach Brian Kelly typically likes to keep expectations to a minimum when it comes to his freshmen. Kelly doesn’t want his players to have unrealistic expectations placed upon them before they have ever even played a college snap.

With that said, there are three freshmen on this year’s roster who Kelly already knows will contribute immediately. Kelly spoke with the SEC Network about the three freshmen during SEC Media Days on Monday.

“We have some freshmen that I think are poised and ready to play,” Brian Kelly said. “We’ve got a defensive tackle in Dom McKinley. We’ve got a defensive end in Gabe Reliford. We’ve got a wide receiver in Jelani Watkins, who is maybe one of the fastest players in the country, that I think are poised, based on our summer workouts, that I think can contribute right away. And that’s just to say a few guys.”

Dominick McKinley was rated as a five-star recruit and the No. 13 overall player in the country for the class of 2024, per the On3 Industry rankings. He recorded 71 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hurries as a senior in high school.

Gabriel Reliford was ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 202 overall player in the country for 2024, per the On3 Industry rankings. He recorded 122 tackles and 29 tackles for loss in 2023, before signing with LSU.

Finally, Jelani Watkins was tabbed as the No. 217 overall player in the country for 2024. It’s no surprise that he was also a track star in high school.

In addition to those three, Brian Kelly is excited about several other young players on the LSU roster.

“I think there’s a number of those guys, plus guys that were freshmen last year, that weren’t physically ready to compete at the highest level. Da’Shawn Womack, for example, was a guy that has SEC-ability but wasn’t ready mentally and physically to do that,” Kelly said. “So I think we have a number of those guys that people are going to be like, ‘Well, where did these guys come from?’ They were in the program or are young players that are poised to make an impact.”

LSU is coming off of a 10-3 season under Brian Kelly. The Tigers won 10 games in each of Kelly’s first two seasons in Baton Rouge. The hope within the LSU program now is that the defense will be improved in 2024 after a poor season last year, which could help the Tigers reach the College Football Playoff.