ESPN Ranks The Offseason For Every Power 4 College Football Team

This week, ESPN ranked the offseason for every Power 4 college football team and put LSU at No. 2 in the SEC and No. 5 overall nationally.

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2. LSU Tigers

Key additions: QB Sam Leavitt, OT Jordan Seaton, DE Princewill Umanmielen

Key departures: CB Mansoor Delane, S A.J. Haulcy, QB Garrett Nussmeier

Top incoming recruits: DT Lamar Brown, DT Deuce Geralds, DT Richard Anderson

Biggest coaching move: Perhaps you heard that Lane Kiffin is now LSU's coach after one of the wildest and most expensive courtships in recent college football history. Kiffin, who guided Ole Miss to its first CFP appearance but didn't coach the Rebels in the postseason, is back at a blueblood program. He brought several Ole Miss assistants to Baton Rouge, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., co-OC Joe Cox and his younger brother Chris, who will serve as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Lane Kiffin's biggest move might have been a retention, as he kept defensive coordinator Blake Baker in place for a third season.

What went wrong: There's only so many nits to pick from Kiffin's debut offseason at LSU, which included the Tigers landing ESPN's No. 1 transfer portal class. From Nussmeier and leading receivers Barion Brown and Zavion Thomas on offense to defensive stars Delane, Haulcy, Jack Pyburn and West Weeks, LSU is missing plenty of its previous core. Offensive tackle Carius Curne's transfer to Ole Miss was a blow, too. But the Tigers did more than enough to fill their roster holes. Decommitments from top-300 prospects Kenny Darby and Dylan Purter were a pair of late-cycle losses in the 2026 class, but Kiffin still managed to hold on to Brown, the No. 1 overall recruit, and the bulk of ESPN's 12th-ranked signing class.

What went right: Kiffin not only landed a successor to Nussmeier by luring Leavitt to LSU, but he also secured a potential heir apparent in USC transfer Husan Longstreet. LSU loaded up at wide receiver with transfers Jayce Brown (Kansas State), Tre' Brown III (Old Dominion), Winston Watkins (Ole Miss) and Eugene Wilson III (Florida) and addressed a pressing need on the offensive line by landing Seaton from Colorado and guards Aliou Bah (Maryland) and Devin Harper (Ole Miss). The retention of Baker was significant on its own, and Baker returns with an infusion of talent at every level of his defense. Umanmielen and SEC tackles leader TJ Dottery each followed Kiffin from Ole Miss. Defensive backs Ty Benefield (Boise State) and Faheem Delane (Ohio State) join a secondary that returns both starting cornerbacks in 2026.

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SEC Rankings:
1. Texas
2. LSU
3. Ole Miss
4. Georgia
5. Texas A&M
6. Oklahoma
7. Alabama
8. Tennessee
9. Kentucky
10. Missouri
11. Florida
12. South Carolina
13. Auburn
14. Vanderbilt
15. Mississippi State
16. Arkansas

Overall Top 10:
1. Indiana
2. Miami
3. Texas
4. Oregon
5. LSU
6. USC
7. Texas Tech
8. Ole Miss
9. Notre Dame
10. Ohio State