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When Brian Kelly first took the job at LSU, maybe his most daunting job was to rebuild the roster.
That’s what that is, in any case, a rebuild. Rebuilding takes time. When Kelly took this job, it was clear it might take a while to fill this roster.
In a short while, Kelly and the employees have accomplished job at steering the ship in the fitting route. LSU has been lively within the portal and LSU has accomplished what it will probably do on the recruiting path.
With all of the motion that has gone on, it was simple to overlook some issues. The roster appears wildly totally different now than it did in November.
There’s now a while to try how the roster is positioned heading into 2022 and the long run.
LSU appears good at some positions akin to line of defense and quarterback. There are place teams which might be trending up, akin to linebackers and security. Some query marks stay too, like cornerback and offensive line.
The pandemic mixed with new switch guidelines has offered challenges to managing a roster over the past couple of years. These are issues coaches plan for years prematurely. Latest turbulence within the sport has pressured coaches to regulate.
Now that we’ve accomplished quarterback and operating again, at present we are going to check out the large receiver place.
The headliner
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Kayson Boutte is the unquestioned chief on this room. There’s little left to be mentioned about Boutte as he enters his junior yr. He’s coming off an harm, which is one thing to observe however shouldn’t be a problem.
When Boutte went down, he was 2nd within the nation in touchdowns and close to the highest of the SEC in almost each receiving class.
Boutte got here to LSU ranked because the second-best receiver recruit within the nation. The New Iberia native has lived as much as the hype and will even exceed expectations in 2022.
He has the power to play in and out. He can catch it and run with it and he could make performs down the sector.
Boutte is an all-around participant that has an opportunity to be top-of-the-line soccer gamers interval in 2022.
Sophomore studs
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In 2021, LSU signed top-of-the-line receiver lessons in program historical past.
Even with Deion Smith placing his identify within the switch portal, it’s a category that included Jack Bech, Malik Nabers, Chris Hilton, and Brian Thomas Jr.
Out of all of the younger guys, Bech confirmed probably the most in 2021. He solely had two drops all yr on 67 targets, that was top-of-the-line charges amongst everybody within the convention, not simply freshmen.
Bech remains to be listed as a good finish, however he was principally used as a receiver in 2021 and it appears like he excels within the slot.
Nabers got here on sturdy late within the absence of Boutte. A big chunk of these got here in opposition to Louisiana Monroe, the place he had 143 in his coming-out occasion.
Like Bech, Nabers primarily performed within the slot however has that residence run hitter capacity that Bech may not possess.
Whereas LSU has loads of choices to play within the slot, Brian Thomas Jr is a man who can play on the surface. Thomas Jr had some points with drops however confirmed a capability to make contested catches. Thomas’ measurement can current a nightmare for defensive backs if he fine-tunes some areas of his sport.
Chris Hilton didn’t get a ton of alternatives in 2021, he solely caught two passes on six targets, however did have an extended landing to shut out the bowl sport.
The return of Jaray Jenkins
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Getting Jenkins to return was vital contemplating how younger this receiver room is. Jenkins completed second on the staff with 502 receiving yards, only one yard shy of Boutte’s 503. Jenkins might emerge as a starter, or be a depth piece, however he’ll see his justifiable share of targets this fall.
Jenkins got here to LSU in 2018 as a reasonably unheralded three-star. He’s one of many few remaining gamers that had been part of the 2019 championship staff.
He dedicated to LSU when Ed Orgeron was in his first recruiting cycle. Jenkins has been round a very long time and he’s seen rather a lot.
Good groups want guys like Jenkins. No, he’s not going to be all-SEC and go on to be a first-round decide, however he doesn’t should be.
Jenkins will carry some consistency to the sector whereas being a vital presence within the locker room.
A switch addition
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New to the room in 2022 can be Kyren Lacy, a switch from Louisiana. Lacy had 308 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2021. LSU wanted so as to add some numbers to this room after dropping a couple of receivers to the portal.
Probably the most useful features of the switch portal is the way it’s supplied an opportunity for guys akin to Lacy to maneuver up from the Solar Belt to the SEC.
Lacy might haven’t had LSU’s consideration popping out of highschool, however he earned this chance at Louisiana-Lafayette.
Lacy can be a welcome addition and have an actual probability to work himself into the rotation
Trying forward
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LSU simply signed one receiver out of highschool this yr. Three-star Landon Ibieta out of Mandeville, Louisiana.
It’s not ideally suited to solely signal one participant at a place the place offenses can have two to 4 guys on the sector on the similar time and an excellent deeper rotation.
That places the stress on LSU to herald a couple of blue-chip recruits at receiver subsequent yr and hold that 2021 class collectively.
One would assume that this can be Boutte’s final yr earlier than he’s off to the NFL, however one of many youthful guys under him might flip right into a famous person.
Within the class of 2023, LSU has one of many prime receiver recruits of their yard. 5-star large receiver Shelton Sampson Jr out of Catholic Excessive Faculty can be considered one of LSU’s prime priorities.
LSU presently holds a dedication from Omarion Miller, who 247Sports presently has because the No. 19 receiver in subsequent yr’s class.
Brian Kelly and crew want so as to add a pair extra gamers like Miller and one or two recruits of Sampson’s caliber as effectively.
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