With LSU six days from kicking off against Clemson, the countdown has shifted from the big picture to the details - and one of those details is No. 6. On this day, LSU’s jersey history spotlights a pair of former Ole Miss standouts who followed Lane Kiffin to Baton Rouge: wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr. and linebacker TJ Dottery.
Watkins was the kind of transfer LSU clearly had its eye on early. Once Kiffin took the Tigers job, the assumption was that he would push hard for Watkins, and that fit came together quickly after the Rebels’ semifinal loss, when Watkins entered the transfer portal the next day before landing at LSU soon after.
The receiver’s first college season gave LSU a preview of what he can bring. As a freshman, Watkins caught 26 passes for 373 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t a massive debut, but it was enough to show why the expectation around him remains high heading into his next chapter.
That said, nothing is handed to him. The belief is that Watkins will open in the slot, but he’ll have plenty of competition breathing down his neck all season. LSU loaded up that receiver room, so production is going to matter if he wants to hold onto his snaps.
Dottery arrives with a bigger resume and a bigger role waiting for him. LSU targeted him heavily as another Ole Miss player to bring over, and after being one of the SEC’s better linebackers last season, he now joins Whit Weeks in what could be the best linebacker room in the country.
The Alabama native didn’t really get on the field until 2024, but once he did, the production came fast. Over the last two seasons, he has piled up 174 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
At 6-foot-2 and 232 pounds, Dottery brings size and athleticism, with more value against the run than in coverage. This season is also a chance for him to help his NFL draft stock, and LSU will give him that platform. If he can sharpen his work against the pass, it would answer one of the biggest questions scouts have about his game right now.
In Other News...
Former LSU Standouts Are Turning Preseason Chances Into Real NFL Momentum
Training camp headlines can blur together fast, but a handful of former LSU standouts have given themselves a much better shot at sticking in the NFL with strong preseason showings. Jack Pyburn, Barion Brown and Zavion Thomas all made noise in different uniforms, and each turned early opportunities into production that caught attention beyond the usual August noise.
Pyburn finished with four sacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown chipped in multiple catches and a rushing touchdown for the New Orleans Saints, and Thomas was especially productive for the Chicago Bears with five receptions for 140 yards and a score. For LSU fans, it is the kind of preseason development worth tracking closely, because performances like these can be the difference between a practice-squad wait and a real roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kellys First Post-LSU Move Will Spark Plenty Of Reactions
Brian Kellys first fall away from the sideline came with a headset instead of a play sheet, as he made his debut as a college football color commentator on CBS for the North Dakota State-Jacksonville State game. For a coach who had not spent a season outside the profession since the late 1970s, the shift was a notable one, and it immediately gave LSU fans a different way to watch the former Tigers coach start his next chapter.
Kelly said he knows there is work to do on the broadcasting side, but he also sounded appreciative of the help he received from his CBS colleagues. The move comes after a long coaching run and his recent departure from LSU, so seeing him in the booth instead of on the sideline is bound to draw reactions in Baton Rouge and beyond as his post-LSU path begins to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Get A Huge Pass Rush Boost Right Before The Opener
With NFL teams trimming down to their 53-man rosters, former LSU defensive end Jack Pyburn is suddenly in play again. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived him as they finalized their roster, and if he clears waivers, the plan is for him to head back to Baton Rouge just before the Tigers open the season.
For LSU, the timing could hardly be better. The SECs recent decision to allow players on NFL rosters to return to college football opened the door for Pyburn and other former NFL players to rejoin the Tigers, giving the defense a chance to pick up a significant boost right as the opener approaches. The only question now is how quickly everything falls into place. [Read more 🡒]