Lane Kiffin’s Portal Power Play: LSU’s Transfer Class Hits 36 and Counting
Lane Kiffin hasn’t just dipped into the transfer portal-he’s practically built a second home there. Since taking over at LSU, Kiffin has turned the Tigers into a transfer destination, and with 36 portal additions already in the fold, he’s just four commitments away from matching LSU’s total portal haul from the last three years combined.
Let that sink in.
Under Brian Kelly, LSU brought in 40 total transfers across 2023, 2024, and 2025. Kiffin? He’s sitting at 36-and he’s not done yet.
Mason Dossett Becomes No. 36
The latest addition is Mason Dossett, a former Baylor wide receiver and defensive back. While Dossett didn’t record a catch in 2025 and didn’t see the field in 2024, LSU is projecting him as a safety for 2026.
At 6-foot-1 and 194 pounds, Dossett brings positional versatility-he played all over the field in high school at Ridge Point in Missouri City, Texas. He was a three-star recruit in the 2023 class, ranked as the No. 71 athlete nationally.
Dossett is the eighth unranked player in this class, but Kiffin’s approach has always been about fit and upside just as much as star power. And make no mistake-this class has plenty of both.
A National Trend, But Kiffin’s Leading the Charge
LSU is one of just six programs in the 247Sports top 50 portal rankings with 30-plus additions, and five of those six programs are breaking in new head coaches. The numbers are staggering:
- Oklahoma State (Eric Morris): 51 portal additions, No. 6 ranking
- UCLA (Bob Chesney): 39 additions, No. 28 ranking
- Arkansas (Ryan Silverfield): 37 additions, No. 25 ranking
- Penn State (Matt Campbell): 36 additions, No. 5 ranking
- Colorado (Deion Sanders): 35 additions, No. 19 ranking
And then there’s Kiffin, whose 36-man class is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by 247Sports. For context, his largest portal class at Ole Miss was 30 last year, which finished fourth nationally.
His 2024 group at Ole Miss, which ranked first at the time, had 26 players. So yeah, this is new territory-even for Kiffin.
A Flurry of Friday Additions
Dossett was the fifth portal commitment LSU landed on Friday alone, joining a group that includes:
- Sean Thompkins, No. 23 OT from Baylor (flipped from North Carolina)
- Devin Harper, No. 3 G/C from Ole Miss (yes, he flipped back to Kiffin after previously flipping to Ole Miss)
- Faheem Delane, No. 10 safety from Ohio State
- Aliou Bah, No.
68 G/C from Maryland
That’s a serious haul in a single day, and it underscores just how aggressive LSU has been in reshaping its roster.
Portal Deadline Looms, But the Door Isn’t Closed
While the deadline to enter the transfer portal was midnight Friday for most players, schools can still sign anyone who entered between January 2 and January 16. Players from Miami and Indiana-who are squaring off in the national title game-get a special window from Tuesday through Friday next week.
Translation: Kiffin’s not done yet. Expect more movement.
LSU’s Transfer Class: A Closer Look
This isn’t just a numbers game. LSU’s portal class is loaded with top-tier talent across the board. Here’s a snapshot of some of the key names:
- Sam Leavitt, No. 1 QB from Arizona State
- Ty Benefield, No. 2 safety from Boise State
- Husan Longstreet, No.
6 QB from USC
- Jordan Ross, No. 7 edge rusher from Tennessee
- Stephiylan Green, No. 11 DL from Clemson
- Tre Wilson III, No. 12 WR from Florida
- Malik Blocton, No. 13 DL from Auburn
- William Satterwhite, No. 16 G/C from Tennessee
- Jayce Brown, No. 26 WR from Kansas State
- Winston Watkins, No. 27 WR from Ole Miss
- Tre Brown III, No. 30 WR from Old Dominion
- Darrin Strey, No. 30 OT from Kentucky
- Malachi Thomas, No. 39 TE from Pittsburgh
- Jackson Harris, No. 40 WR from Hawaii
- Ja’Quan Sprinkle, No. 49 G/C from North Carolina Central
- Jaylen Brown, No. 82 edge from South Carolina
- Raycine Guillory, No.
84 RB from Utah
- **Rod Gainey Jr.
**, No. 104 RB from Charlotte
- Achilles Woods, No. 124 DL from South Alabama
- Malik Elzy, No. 136 WR from Illinois
- Tyree Holloway, No. 154 WR from West Florida
- Josh Jackson, No. 205 WR from McNeese
- Roman Mothershed, No. 206 WR from Troy
And then there’s the unranked group-players like Dossett, punter Hayden Craig (Florida), kicker Scott Starzyk (Arkansas), and long snapper Mack Mulhern (Florida)-who round out a class that’s deep at every position.
Final Thoughts
Kiffin isn’t just building a team-he’s engineering a roster overhaul in real time. With a No. 1 portal class, a blend of elite talent and untapped potential, and a head coach who’s never been shy about making bold moves, LSU is positioning itself as one of the most intriguing programs heading into the 2026 season.
If you’re keeping score at home, the Transfer Portal Era isn’t just here-it’s thriving in Baton Rouge.