LSU transfer portal team breakdown

Brian Kelly and his LSU football staff made moves in the transfer portal between the end of the 2022 season and the start of spring ball. All told, LSU had 29 players coming or going during the 2023 transfer cycle.

And though the Tigers didn’t dominate the portal — the LSU transfer class ranks No. 21 in the On3 2023 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings — they certainly got better. That is especially true in the secondary.

And given the additions on defense plus the returning pieces on offense, LSU and Kelly are in a good spot ahead of the 2023 season.

Breaking down the 2023 LSU transfer portal class

National rank: No. 21

Transfers in: 11 (T-15th)

Transfers out: 18 (T-11th)

Biggest loss: QB Walker Howard transferred to Ole Miss

It was a bit of surprise for Howard to leave LSU, given he’s a legacy — he’s the son of former LSU quarterback Jamie Howard. But with Jayden Daniels returning and Garrett Nussmeier seemingly putting the backup job in a stranglehold, Howard jumped to a division rival where he’ll duke it out in another crowded quarterback room.

Biggest arrival: CB Denver Harris, Texas A&M

Former Syracuse cornerback Darian ‘Duce’ Chestnut — more on him below — could’ve earned this nod, given his higher level of production, but the upside of Harris, a former five-star prospect in the Class of 2022, is likely higher than anyone else the Tigers brought in. And with a number of years of eligibility still to use up, LSU should have Harris patrolling the secondary for the foreseeable future.

Other notable LSU transfers in

CB Darian ‘Duce’ Chestnut, Syracuse: From the moment he stepped on the field for the Orange, Chestnut produced. In his freshman season (2021), he had three interceptions, eight passes defensed and even came up with 3.5 tackles for loss. He was quieter in 2022 with just one interception (returned for a touchdown) and one pass defensed, but he has two years of tape showing he can hang with some of the best receivers around.

LB Omar Speights, Oregon State: Speights proved to be one of the better off-ball linebackers in the country during his career with the Beavers. His addition should enable LSU to move around now-sophomore phenom Harold Perkins and utilize his pass rush ability even more. Plus, a dependable force in the middle of the defense can be a force multiplier.

CB Jakailin Johnson, Ohio State: Johnson is one of several cornerbacks that LSU added ahead of the 2023 season with a bevy of players off to the NFL. A former four-star prospect in the 2021 class, Johnson never quite found his footing at Ohio State, appearing in 15 games but mostly as a special teamer. He brings plenty of talent to Baton Rouge, where he’ll have the opportunity to showcase it.

WR Aaron Anderson, Alabama: After spending one season at Alabama, Anderson, a Class of 2022 receiver with elite speed, is coming back home to LSU. Originally from New Orleans, Anderson barely saw the field for the Crimson Tide and with his top-end speed — he’s clocked in at 10.77 in the 100 meters in high school — could be an immediate impact for LSU.

OL Mason Lunsford, Maryland: Depth on the offensive line never hurts. And though LSU brings back a few players who started as freshmen last year, more players who can fit in among the five on the offensive line is never a bad thing. A 13-game starter for Maryland at tackle in 2022, Lunsford has plenty of experience to bring to the table.