Week 10 brings a mixed bag for the LSU rookie group, with a few players getting fresh chances, a few stuck on the sideline, and one or two still trying to turn flashes into something bigger.
Mansoor Delane should be back after missing the Chiefs’ last game, and the timing matters. Kansas City gets the Falcons, a team that sold at the deadline and has had a rough season.
Delane’s assignment won’t be easy, though. He’ll have to deal with Drake London’s physical style on the outside, and he’ll also be in the mix against Bijan Robinson, a tackle-heavy job that is about as unforgiving as it gets.
A.J. Haulcy is in a similar spot after sitting out this past week, which was especially frustrating with the Colts coming close to a win.
Now he gets a real opportunity against the Dolphins. With Malik Willis out for the rest of the season, Miami turns to Kyle McCord, a second-year player making his first career start.
If Haulcy keeps things steady, a turnover is very much in play.
Barion Brown had the loudest outing of the bunch so far. He ripped off a 52-yard catch that put the Saints in scoring position and also gave New Orleans excellent field position in the return game.
The only thing that kept it from becoming a signature day was a brutal fumble on a punt return. Even so, Brown looks set to stay involved mostly on special teams, though it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Saints try to manufacture another big offensive play for him.
Harold Perkins continues to look like one of the most reliable names in this group. He was one of the best players on the Falcons’ defense in their loss to the Bengals, and his health plus his steady production make a strong case for him as the top player from LSU’s 2026 class. This week, though, he gets another serious test with the Chiefs, and Kenneth Walker is the challenge waiting for him.
Zavion Thomas’ season has gone in the wrong direction. He began on the bench, worked his way into offensive snaps, and showed enough to matter before penalties started piling up and his role disappeared.
In Week 10, an unnecessary roughness penalty got him pulled from the offense by Ben Johnson, and even a kick return touchdown was wiped out by a holding call. The Bears are on bye, so there’s no immediate chance to reset.
Bauer Sharp is also heading into a bye, with the Bucs off this week. His usage has been puzzling after a strong blocking performance in Week 8, since he barely saw the field in Week 9. That kind of drop-off makes little sense, and the source of it is being pinned on bad coaching.
There’s also a note on the Chiefs situation: Patrick Mahomes is healthy, and that kept one player from seeing the field. That same player had been waived by Kansas City before being brought back to the practice squad.
In Other News...
Texas Hits Unexpected Travel Snag Right Before LSU Showdown
Texas ran into an unexpected headache on the way to Baton Rouge, with the Longhorns among several college football teams caught up in a nationwide ground stop ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration on Nov. 13. The issue stemmed from air traffic control communications problems at facilities across the country, creating travel delays at the worst possible time for a team headed into a high-profile matchup with LSU.
For LSU fans, the immediate question is whether the disruption will linger long enough to affect the rhythm of the weekend. It is still unclear how long the delays will last or whether they will ripple into the scheduled games, but any travel snag this close to kickoff adds another layer of uncertainty to a meeting that already had plenty of attention on it. [Read more 🡒]
Ed Orgeron Shares Frightening Health Update Before LSUs Huge Night
Ed Orgerons latest health scare is a sobering reminder of how quickly things can turn, even for a coach who has spent years around the grind of college football. The former LSU head coach revealed that a leg infection escalated into life-threatening sepsis and sent him to intensive care for seven days, a frightening stretch that put his recovery far ahead of any football conversation.
For LSU fans, the timing lands in the middle of a big week, with the Tigers preparing for a marquee matchup against Texas and plenty of attention on the little things that can swing a game. Special teams and intangibles are part of the discussion, along with the usual round of weekly predictions, but Orgerons update adds a more personal, human note to the buildup around a program that still feels his imprint. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Pass Rusher Is Now At Center Of A Messy Ole Miss Fight
Princewill Umanmielens move to LSU has now spilled into a legal fight that reaches well beyond the transfer portal. The pass rusher is contesting a revenue-sharing contract he signed with Ole Miss for the 2026 season, saying he was under undue pressure from Rebels coaches before he left for Baton Rouge. Ole Miss, meanwhile, is pursuing him for $550,000 plus legal fees tied to the buyout, turning what looked like a straightforward transfer into a messy dispute over how binding these new-era agreements really are.
Umanmielens attorney is arguing the damages sought are unreasonable and that he may not have had the legal capacity to enter the contract in the first place. Ole Miss has also filed a similar suit against former Rebel Devin Harper, while LSU has taken the position that it is not on the hook for either buyout because it was not a party to the contracts. For LSU, the issue is less about the roster fit than the backdrop around one of its newest pass rushers, and it is still unclear how far this fight will go before it is sorted out. [Read more 🡒]