UPDATED: LSU’s PFF grades show the portal impact

UPDATE: PFF has revised the initial grades. The numbers below are the current grades and replace the preliminary top five list originally posted.

The updated PFF grades give a better picture of where LSU’s portal additions made their biggest impact:

Quarterback

Sam Leavitt 90.3
Landen Clark 83.2
Husan Longstreet 82.6

Running back

Dilin Jones 69.5
Caden Durham 56.0
Stacy Gage 55.1
Harlem Berry 54.5

Edge

Jordan Ross 94.0
Princewill Umanmielen 82.7
Dylan Carpenter 72.8

Linebacker

TJ Dottery 91.3
Davhon Keys 75.6
Whit Weeks 73.4

Receiver

Phillip Wright III 90.6
Winston Watkins Jr. 73.7
Corey Barber Jr. 62.6

Secondary

Ty Benefield 76.9
Ja’Keem Jackson 74.3
Tamarcus Cooley 69.2
DJ Pickett 66.0

Offensive line

Sean Thompkins Jr. 66.4
Bo Bordelon 64.2
William Satterwhite II 63.1
Braelin Moore 62.7
Jordan Seaton 62.0

Phillip Wright’s 90.6 came on only 14 snaps, so that needs some context. Still, the larger point remains: portal additions finished first at quarterback, running back, edge, linebacker and safety and took both of the top spots at edge.

LSU had legitimate returning talent, so these newcomers weren’t simply beating out scrubs. They immediately became some of the team’s best players at positions that can decide games.

Plenty of programs spent money in the portal. The interesting part is that LSU appears to have spent it on the right players.

Pretty interesting that LSU’s five highest PFF grades against Clemson all came from transfers.

1. Jordan Ross, EDGE 94.4
2. Sam Leavitt, QB 91.1
3. TJ Dottery, LB 88.2
4. Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE 83.2
5. Jordan Seaton, LT 78.8

You’re talking about the quarterback, left tackle, linebacker and two edge rushers, not rotational depth pieces, but players at some of the most important positions on the field.

High school recruiting will always be the foundation, but last night showed how quickly the portal can change a team’s ceiling when you evaluate well and bring in the right players. LSU doesn’t look anything like the same team without those additions.