- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Kelly Has Developed SEC Talent!
Posted on 7/25/23 at 10:26 pm
Posted on 7/25/23 at 10:26 pm
Good read:
All SEC Talent Kelly Has Developed!
When you look at the preseason All-SEC teams, you see LSU players littered throughout. Especially on the first team, where the Tigers have six selections — three on each side. That’s not something anyone would have guessed Brian Kelly would be able to do given the roster he inherited in 2022.
Fortunately for those in Baton Rouge, Kelly has been able to add talent over the past two offseasons. Not just through recruiting but also via the NCAA transfer portal.
“Look, six is a huge number including three on each side of the ball,” Shea Dixon of On3’s The Bengal Tiger said when joining the On3 Roundtable. “They had a lot of guys scattered throughout the second and third-team. So, it speaks to the talent… Just on the first team alone, you see Brian Kelly has had a big hand in either playing true freshman or going and getting transfers who end up having a big impact on the team.”
Sure, Malik Nabers and Maason Smith were part of the program when Kelly arrived. Nabers wound up being LSU’s leading receiver while Smith suffered an injury against Florida State in the season opener. Both were brought in by Ed Orgeron and expected to be huge contributors.
But four other first-team members have been developed into stars by the head coach. None better than two guys heading into their sophomore season after getting onto the field early as freshmen and making an impact.
“When you look at the first team alone, a lot of it has Brian Kelly’s fingerprints on it,” Dixon said. “Will Campbell, who they put as the starting left tackle as a true freshman. Harold Perkinswas a true freshman breakout player. Guys like that were really brought along by Brian Kelly and this staff in Year One.”
How Kelly really has LSU moving though is through the portal. Not only was he able to acquire talent to help in 2022 but they return for another season. When you have guys potentially skipping out on the NFL, only to come back and be named preseason All-SEC first-team, it’s a great recruiting effort.
“Then you look at some of the headliners,” Dixon began. “Jayden Daniels, the quarterback. He was a transfer that they went and got. Mekhi Wingo as one of the top defensive lineman in the SEC. He was a transfer that they went and got.”
Even before looking at the results and last year’s SEC West title, Kelly has done a great job turning the roster around. It’s easy to forget where it sat after the 2021 season.
“It speaks to the pulse of the roster, where he has it at, where they needed to fill holes,” Dixon said. “And now we see LSU’s roster continue to get better and better. Remember, it wasn’t long ago they had 38 scholarship players on roster.”
All SEC Talent Kelly Has Developed!
When you look at the preseason All-SEC teams, you see LSU players littered throughout. Especially on the first team, where the Tigers have six selections — three on each side. That’s not something anyone would have guessed Brian Kelly would be able to do given the roster he inherited in 2022.
Fortunately for those in Baton Rouge, Kelly has been able to add talent over the past two offseasons. Not just through recruiting but also via the NCAA transfer portal.
“Look, six is a huge number including three on each side of the ball,” Shea Dixon of On3’s The Bengal Tiger said when joining the On3 Roundtable. “They had a lot of guys scattered throughout the second and third-team. So, it speaks to the talent… Just on the first team alone, you see Brian Kelly has had a big hand in either playing true freshman or going and getting transfers who end up having a big impact on the team.”
Sure, Malik Nabers and Maason Smith were part of the program when Kelly arrived. Nabers wound up being LSU’s leading receiver while Smith suffered an injury against Florida State in the season opener. Both were brought in by Ed Orgeron and expected to be huge contributors.
But four other first-team members have been developed into stars by the head coach. None better than two guys heading into their sophomore season after getting onto the field early as freshmen and making an impact.
“When you look at the first team alone, a lot of it has Brian Kelly’s fingerprints on it,” Dixon said. “Will Campbell, who they put as the starting left tackle as a true freshman. Harold Perkinswas a true freshman breakout player. Guys like that were really brought along by Brian Kelly and this staff in Year One.”
How Kelly really has LSU moving though is through the portal. Not only was he able to acquire talent to help in 2022 but they return for another season. When you have guys potentially skipping out on the NFL, only to come back and be named preseason All-SEC first-team, it’s a great recruiting effort.
“Then you look at some of the headliners,” Dixon began. “Jayden Daniels, the quarterback. He was a transfer that they went and got. Mekhi Wingo as one of the top defensive lineman in the SEC. He was a transfer that they went and got.”
Even before looking at the results and last year’s SEC West title, Kelly has done a great job turning the roster around. It’s easy to forget where it sat after the 2021 season.
“It speaks to the pulse of the roster, where he has it at, where they needed to fill holes,” Dixon said. “And now we see LSU’s roster continue to get better and better. Remember, it wasn’t long ago they had 38 scholarship players on roster.”
This post was edited on 7/25/23 at 10:27 pm
5
Posted on 7/25/23 at 10:32 pm to LSUDad
quote:
Sure, Malik Nabers and Maason Smith were part of the program when Kelly arrived. Nabers wound up being LSU’s leading receiver while Smith suffered an injury against Florida State in the season opener. Both were brought in by Ed Orgeron and expected to be huge contributors.
Kind of crazy how Malik Nabers was a high 3/low 4 star who we flipped from Mississippi state last minute. Speaks volumes to the talent of this state.
Posted on 7/25/23 at 10:52 pm to GeauxLSUGeaux
It is a compliment to the talent in the state. Devils advocate, the percentages of 5* flops instate would be interesting to dissect. Nabors is more proof that the recruiting industry is far from a perfected craft. Educated guesses and hype are larger contributions than true evaluation. Even then timing, luck and human's nature of uniqueness make it a crapshoot. Evaluators were right on Boutte and Eli Ricks. However personal behavior can't be evaluated before it happens. Even right, they were wrong when the stats are counted.
Posted on 7/25/23 at 11:20 pm to lsufanva
The top three in the class were Arik Gilbert, Ricks and Boutte.
Gilbert, LSU to UGA, now at Nebraska, hasn’t lived up to that 5 star. From Georgia.
Ricks, started at LSU, then bama, ended up undrafted. He too didn’t get close to the 5*. From Florida.
Boutte, did way more than the other two. 6th round draft choice. From Louisiana.
Everyone gets the same shot, it’s what you do with it.
Gilbert, LSU to UGA, now at Nebraska, hasn’t lived up to that 5 star. From Georgia.
Ricks, started at LSU, then bama, ended up undrafted. He too didn’t get close to the 5*. From Florida.
Boutte, did way more than the other two. 6th round draft choice. From Louisiana.
Everyone gets the same shot, it’s what you do with it.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 12:48 am to LSUDad
I also love how the strength and conditioning program is developing the players. The Oregon State linebacker has already gained 15lbs. They are transforming these guys bodies. When I look at what BK did at ND, their lineman look big, lean, and athletic.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 12:55 am to GeauxLSUGeaux
quote:
Kind of crazy how Malik Nabers was a high 3/low 4 star who we flipped from Mississippi state last minute. Speaks volumes to the talent of this state.
But people are crying that LSU is low on recruiting and getting weaklings in state…Louisiana always blooms. They all got that dog
Posted on 7/26/23 at 7:57 am to lsufanva
quote:
Nabors is more proof that the recruiting industry is far from a perfected craft.
Nabers?
The best receiver in the NFL was a 2* coming out of HS.
Recruiting stars don't promise anything other than hype.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 8:00 am to LSUDad
Hard to say a Freshman AA, 2nd Team AA, and All SEC Player didn't live up to the hype of a 5*. Ricks was an absolute baller as a freshman...don't let your feelings of how he panned out distort what was very obvious.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 9:02 am to LSUDad
He’s right. But, using Campbell and Perkins as examples is somewhat disingenuous, especially as it relates to your subject line.
It didn’t matter what he did with Perkins. He’s a freak!
Campbell is just one of those few OL, especially tackles, who was big enough, smart enough and quick enough to make the transition from high school to college in his first season.
Don’t get it twisted, there’s been others at LSU across the line who have done that. Although that list is short, he’s one that didn’t need that much development.
A better example would be ‘Emery Jones
It didn’t matter what he did with Perkins. He’s a freak!
Campbell is just one of those few OL, especially tackles, who was big enough, smart enough and quick enough to make the transition from high school to college in his first season.
Don’t get it twisted, there’s been others at LSU across the line who have done that. Although that list is short, he’s one that didn’t need that much development.
A better example would be ‘Emery Jones
Posted on 7/26/23 at 9:06 am to Tigers0891
So true, they do got that dog. They're local.That many times makes more of a difference than stars.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 9:19 am to MicahTiger
He was a 5* player, nothing wrong with that, but not the career most would have thought. Work ethic was not there. A waste of talent?
Back in 2011, DeSoto High had two DB’s, the highest rated player,was a kid named Bryson Echols, he signed with UTx. Was at UTx for a couple years, not much playing time. Ended up transferring to Arizona State. Not much of a football career.
The lower rated DB on that same team, signed with LSU. He was the lowest rated position player in that signing class. One of the BTR reporters when asked who would play as a true freshman that year, his reply, I don’t know who plays, but he singled out the DeSoto players that would be Red-Shirted. Well, the DeSoto player ended up playing his true Freshman year. His freshman year he started all 13 games, his sophomore season also starting 13 games. He was drafted after his Senior season, 7th round. His rookie season, he played in 16 games, starting two. The following season he started all 15 games, they would go on to win the Super Bowl. He ended up playing 6 years in the NFL. That player was Jalen Mills.
Two players, one ranked very high, the other, not so much. Both had the same opportunity.
Back in 2011, DeSoto High had two DB’s, the highest rated player,was a kid named Bryson Echols, he signed with UTx. Was at UTx for a couple years, not much playing time. Ended up transferring to Arizona State. Not much of a football career.
The lower rated DB on that same team, signed with LSU. He was the lowest rated position player in that signing class. One of the BTR reporters when asked who would play as a true freshman that year, his reply, I don’t know who plays, but he singled out the DeSoto players that would be Red-Shirted. Well, the DeSoto player ended up playing his true Freshman year. His freshman year he started all 13 games, his sophomore season also starting 13 games. He was drafted after his Senior season, 7th round. His rookie season, he played in 16 games, starting two. The following season he started all 15 games, they would go on to win the Super Bowl. He ended up playing 6 years in the NFL. That player was Jalen Mills.
Two players, one ranked very high, the other, not so much. Both had the same opportunity.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 9:25 am to toughcrittercrumb
quote:
also love how the strength and conditioning program is developing the players. The Oregon State linebacker has already gained 15lbs. They are transforming these guys bodies. When I look at what BK did at ND, their lineman look big, lean, and athletic.
Great point. Just look at Emery Jones. He has lost a lot of bad weight.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 9:34 am to GeauxLSUGeaux
quote:
Kind of crazy how Malik Nabers was a high 3/low 4 star who we flipped from Mississippi state last minute. Speaks volumes to the talent of this state
The majority of the ratings are based off of physical measurables more than the ability to play football. There are many great athletes in every state. There aren't as many great "football players". There is a difference.
Nabers didn't have the ideal size and/or speed of higher rated WRs. But just because you are big and fast doesn't mean you will be a great player. It helps, without question. But doesn't guarantee success. The previous coaching staff recognized pretty early on once they saw Nabers competing in practice that he was a good player. No different that a long time NFL WR coach watching a skinny, unheralded freshman Justin Jefferson on the practice field and seeing he was far better than the rankings would suggest. You saw it with Clyde Edward-Helaire. Physically he's not a 5 star RB. He's short and doesn't have breakaway speed. But you give him the ball in a game and just flat out produces.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 9:43 am to toughcrittercrumb
My favorite part about BK was always what he’s been able to do with OL and TEs, couldn’t be happier to see it pay immediate dividends in year 1. The 12 month transformation of just that unit is incredible.
LSU with a consistent high end offensive line (which we really haven’t had consistently the last 20 years) will be the difference in a lot of big games during BKs run here.
LSU with a consistent high end offensive line (which we really haven’t had consistently the last 20 years) will be the difference in a lot of big games during BKs run here.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 10:16 am to mwade91383
quote:
My favorite part about BK was always what he’s been able to do with OL and
When folks talk the Tight End position, I like what Kelly and Denbrock do. They utilize that position more than most. A good friend of mine coached and played the TE position in college and high school. He coached at Rice University for a time there. At one time Rice had 4 Tight Ends on NFL rosters. LSU will start putting them into the NFL soon. Taylor was one of those 3* guys, now look at his transformation.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 10:27 am to LSUDad
Would you trade Kelly for anyone? Not me. 
Posted on 7/26/23 at 10:34 am to LSUDad
Couldn’t agree more. A high quality TE is like a true 3 down back, gives us the ability to be versatile and create all kinds of fun mismatches.
Whether they’re staying in to block, attacking the seam, safety valve for a qb, they can offer so much wo tipping our hat via formation or personnel.
And yes, BKs track record of producing these guys (and putting them in the league) is well established.
Whether they’re staying in to block, attacking the seam, safety valve for a qb, they can offer so much wo tipping our hat via formation or personnel.
And yes, BKs track record of producing these guys (and putting them in the league) is well established.
This post was edited on 7/26/23 at 10:35 am
Posted on 7/26/23 at 10:49 am to mwade91383
The great part, the personal groupings, give the defense fits. Split them out wide, bring them in motion, in tight, too many options. The NFL , KC does this so much. Who covers the TE. We utilized the position with Moss in 2019.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 11:06 am to LSUDad
The three most important on offense in todays college football are QB, LT and WR. We got covered with 1st team all SEC talent.
To be great on defense you need to have some dawgs up the middle. We got that with TWO 1st team all SEC DTs and an all world LB. His running mate at LB is a four year starting tackling machine 1st team all PAC LB.
To be great on defense you need to have some dawgs up the middle. We got that with TWO 1st team all SEC DTs and an all world LB. His running mate at LB is a four year starting tackling machine 1st team all PAC LB.
Posted on 7/26/23 at 4:43 pm to LSUDad
quote:
“It speaks to the pulse of the roster, where he has it at, where they needed to fill holes,” Dixon said. “And now we see LSU’s roster continue to get better and better. Remember, it wasn’t long ago they had 38 scholarship players on roster.”
Some forget, 306 days before we beat Alabama this past season. We had 39 scholarship players in a bowl game, with a WR playing QB.
That’s the cluster Kelly took over.
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News