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I think this defense could be elite

Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:16 am
Posted by Bert Macklin FBI
Quantico
Member since May 2013
11715 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:16 am
I’m trying to manage my expectations and wait until I actually see this group play together but I think this defense could be elite.

We have 4 awesome edge players (Pyburn, Reliford, Payton, and Butler) and possibly 6 (cobbins wins 1 on 1s and shanklin looks the part)

DT looks to have 4 maybe 5 guys that can play (McKinley, Gooden, Breaux, Guillery, and Mitchell) and McKinley could possibly be a real difference maker while Gooden seems to be a high level player as well.

LBer has 5 good players as well (Perkins, Weeks, Weeks, Keys, and Singleton) Perkins is making plays at that star spot and we know Whit is a dog. Between the other 3, we will definitely find a solid players.

CB is also deep (Delane, Stamps, Pickett, Woodland, and Jackson). Delane is the alpha is would seem and Pickett is yhe DBU heir apparent. But woodland seems to be doing really well and Stamps won’t relinquish his starting spot without a fight.

S is the big key but they seem to have 5 guys playing well too (Haulcey, Cooley, Spears, Toviano, and Gilbert) I think Haulcey and Cooley will start but there are hood options here.

We just seem to have really good players everywhere with stars or potential stars at every level. Idk if it all comes together game 1 but I think this group can be ELITE.
This post was edited on 8/5/25 at 12:37 pm
Posted by Jebadeb
Member since Oct 2017
5628 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:18 am to
I don't know that any of our DBs are elite.
Posted by kajunman
Member since Dec 2015
7593 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:19 am to
I think defense has the makings to be dominant. Legit 2 waves of d linemen and lb's. If Toviano and Gilbert ever have to start, that is gonna weaken the back end. I am one of those who think we have some dudes at cb.
Posted by Bert Macklin FBI
Quantico
Member since May 2013
11715 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:21 am to
quote:

don't know that any of our DBs are elite.


That’ll be the biggest question mark I think but there is potential to have a few elite players.

Delane has been really good in his career, maybe he takes that next step to elite.

Pickett is a young pup but he’s been compared to Stingley, what if he’s that good? Is that not Elite?

Haulcey is the safety that I think will be Elite. He’s big and tackles really well. If he gets marginally better, I think he could be elite.
Posted by MasterAbe1
Member since Oct 2016
6348 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:22 am to
Our cornerback room looks like a true Corey Raymond led CB room. You gotta be tall, and you gotta be physical
Posted by JimTiger72
Member since Jun 2023
15403 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:23 am to
quote:

I don't know that any of our DBs are elite.


Delane & Pickett should be, but they’ve never played in the SEC. Stamps & Woodland have the potential to be elite
Posted by JimTiger72
Member since Jun 2023
15403 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:24 am to
quote:

Our cornerback room looks like a true Corey Raymond led CB room. You gotta be tall


6’5 at CB is wild
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Posted by lsuson
Metairie
Member since Oct 2013
14905 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:28 am to
Stamps is you alpha right now in the CB room.
Posted by mcspufftiger7
Member since Oct 2020
2994 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:33 am to
A great Dline makes your DB's elite. We haven't had that for a few years. Stamps and Woodward were solid by the end of last season and that was with inconsistent Dline play and very little depth. Won't be the case this year.
Posted by Oilfieldbiology
Member since Nov 2016
41091 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:36 am to
It could be, but everyone needs to know their roles as a single team as opposed to individual contributors. If we can set the edge on running plays, communicate coverage assignments on passing plays, and be an above average to really good tackling team, the sky is truly the limit with the raw physical ability of many of these players.
Posted by CharlestonTiger
Summerville, SC
Member since Nov 2019
947 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:36 am to
quote:

but there are hood options here.


Definitely need this for a great defense...haha
Posted by Techdave
Laffy
Member since Apr 2014
212 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:36 am to
Compared to last year when we were seemingly weak everywhere(even LBers had bad moments at times), this year could be a pleasant surprise.

Having certain position groups being strong can cover mistakes of weaker groups. So hopefully any weaknesses aren't widespread.
This post was edited on 8/5/25 at 10:39 am
Posted by Oilfieldbiology
Member since Nov 2016
41091 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:37 am to
quote:

and that was with inconsistent Dline play


Our D Line was the best unit in the defense last year. Our ends struggled against the run, but during pass rushing downs they were really good.

Our entire secondary looked like they were learning the scheme
Posted by UnluckyTiger
Member since Sep 2003
40906 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:39 am to
Have heard the Dline is the best it’s been in a long, long time. Shades of 2007. And have heard Gooden is an absolute animal. And that Perkins looks back to the wrecking ball, game changer he was as a freshman because he’s so freed up. Please baby Jesus let our oline be decent enough. The rest of the team will feast.
This post was edited on 8/5/25 at 10:41 am
Posted by kajunman
Member since Dec 2015
7593 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:55 am to
Stamps has a higher rating than most want to give him credit for. Add Delane and Pickett as well as the cb from Florida. Things look much better this year.
Posted by Alt26
Member since Mar 2010
33719 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 10:59 am to
If the DL/DEs are good, then the benefits flow backwards. Whit is explosive, but prone to some missteps. Perkins is great...in space. Not so much when blockers can get to him. Last year the DEs could rush the passer, but the DL wasn't great at stopping the run. That allowed the backs to get to the second level where some LB mistakes could be exposed....which then left the God-awful safeties having to make plays...which they didn't.

If the DL is disruptive then the LBs are more free to make plays. If the LBs are more free to make plays, then the DBs aren't shouldering as much of the load. It's obvious, but LSU's defense has been at its best when the DL was great.
Posted by Hold That Tiger 10
Member since Oct 2013
24455 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 11:11 am to
quote:

Stamps has a higher rating than most want to give him credit for.


You shouldn't pay one shred of attention to anything people say about DBs on here. Every single year, for as far back as I ever remember, the rant has chosen a CB to shite on. Group think takes over and there at 20 threads every time that CB gives up a catch to go along with the 50 per week saying he sucks.
Posted by LSBoosie
Member since Jun 2020
16433 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 11:14 am to
I think Elite is probably a stretch, but I think they have a chance to be very good. I would probably look at something like the 2019 defense and how much talent they had. That defense wasn’t elite by any means, but very good when we needed them to be.
This post was edited on 8/5/25 at 11:16 am
Posted by kajunman
Member since Dec 2015
7593 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 11:20 am to
We were spoiled for so many years having elite cb's. Fulton and Stingley were the last set of great cb's. Maybe we see a reincarnation of that this season. If so, the d will be dominant.
Posted by Hurricane2020
Member since Apr 2020
3152 posts
Posted on 8/5/25 at 11:27 am to
That 2019 defense was absolutely elite at the end of the year.

They had the #11 FPI defensive efficiency rating in 2019 even after losing half the defense to injury early in the year. After the Arkansas game LSU had a top 5 defense in the country.
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