LSU didn’t just dip its toes into the 2025 transfer portal—they cannonballed. National analysts have widely labeled the Tigers the top team in the portal this year, and that heavy investment could finally push them over last season’s hump .
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🔥 The Portal Scorecard
1. Elite Talent In, Holes Plugged
Offense: LSU landed Nic Anderson (No. 5 WR nationally via portal) from Oklahoma and Barion Brown (No. 8 WR) from Kentucky, along with returning star Aaron Anderson. That gives QB Garrett Nussmeier a revamped corps to replace lost production .
Defense: High-impact edge rushers Patrick Payton (FSU) and Jack Pyburn (Florida), plus interior disruptor Bernard Gooden from USF, shore up a defensive front previously riddled with holes .
Secondary: Top-tier corners like Mansoor Delane (VT) and Ja’Keem Jackson bolster a backfield that needed depth . Still, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy points out safety and interior defensive tackle depth remains a work in progress .
2. Roster-Class Rankings Confirm It
247Sports ranked LSU’s portal class No. 1, with 14 commits worth 69.4 points—best in the nation .
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Will It Push LSU to the CFP?
✔️ Strengths
Immediate impact: Nearly every addition fills a critical need—WR, pass rush, secondary.
NIL flexibility: Brian Kelly reportedly matched up to $1M in NIL funds to fuel portal recruitment .
Depth across the board: For once, they’re not rolling three–deep only on offense—they’ve built depth on both sides.
✖️ Remaining Weaknesses
Safety room thin: Only one high-level safety added, heightening injury risk .
Interior DL: Still lacking disruptive guards inside, which is crucial against SEC rushing attacks .
Team cohesion: Massive roster turnover can delay on-field chemistry, especially with complex coordination on defense.
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Bottom Line
LSU has unquestionably won the transfer portal. They addressed glaring deficits with proven talent, earned top rankings, and established now-or-never momentum for Kelly’s tenure.
But to clear the “hump”—SEC dominance and College Football Playoff contention—the Tigers must:
1. Patch final holes at safety and tackle.
2. Integrate newcomers smoothly into game plans.
3. See stars like Nussmeier, Anderson, Payton, Pyburn, Delane produce consistently together.
If that happens, this portal haul could be transformational. If not, it could simply be another headline in a high-stakes gamble. But as things stand now, LSU is