The LSU Tigers are entering the 2025 college football season with high expectations — and their defense just gave fans even more reason to be excited. Two standout defenders from LSU have earned preseason All-American honors, solidifying the Tigers’ status as a defensive powerhouse.
Linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. and defensive tackle Maason Smith were both named to multiple preseason All-American lists this week, including those from the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus. The recognition highlights not only their individual talent but also the strength and depth of LSU’s defensive unit heading into the fall.
Perkins, a junior, has quickly become one of the most feared linebackers in the country. After a dominant 2024 season in which he racked up 97 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks, he returns as the heart and soul of LSU’s defense. His rare blend of speed, instincts, and physicality makes him a threat in both run support and pass coverage — and a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
“I’m honored, but I’m not satisfied,” Perkins said in a recent interview. “We’ve got big goals as a team, and individual awards don’t mean much if we’re not winning games.”
Joining him on the All-American list is redshirt junior Maason Smith, a disruptive force on the defensive line. After missing most of the 2023 season with an injury, Smith bounced back strong in 2024, recording 8 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. At 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, he combines elite size with quickness and technique — a rare combination that has NFL scouts watching closely.
Together, Perkins and Smith anchor a defense that ranked among the SEC’s best in several categories last season. With both players healthy and motivated, LSU looks poised to compete not just for an SEC title, but potentially a College Football Playoff berth.
Head coach Brian Kelly praised the duo during fall camp, saying, “Those two guys set the tone. They lead by example, and they hold everyone accountable. When your best players are also your hardest workers, it raises the level of the entire team.”
LSU opens the season in early September with a high-profile matchup against a top-10 opponent, and all eyes will be on the Tigers’ defense. If Perkins and Smith perform as expected, the “Bayou Brick Wall” could become one of the most dominant defensive tandems in the nation — and a key reason LSU makes a serious championship push in 2025.