LSU’s 2026 roster is already drawing heavy preseason attention, and ESPN’s latest Top-100 college football players list puts the Tigers right in the middle of the conversation. Six LSU players cracked the rankings, a haul that underscores how much high-end talent Lane Kiffin has assembled in Baton Rouge.
That’s happening as LSU puts the finishing touches on the offseason and gets closer to its Sept. 5 opener against Clemson. Kiffin has been asked plenty about the transfer-heavy makeover, and he didn’t shy away from the praise.
"I think talent-wise, probably," Kiffin said on if LSU's transfer class is the best ever. "A lot of that is also numbers, the volume helps that statement. Over time, volume has gone up because as the system has evolved, it's created a structure that pushes players into the portal.
"When I say it's probably the best ever on paper, that's partly because of numbers and volume. We also had a lot to replace. Some of that was players' decisions to move on, and part of it was our decisions."
ESPN’s rankings back up that sense of star power. LSU’s group starts with EDGE Princewill Umanmielen at No.
- After transferring in from Ole Miss, Umanmielen is coming off a season in which he posted 9.0 sacks, tied for third in the SEC, and finished No. 8 in the conference with 13 tackles for loss.
ESPN pointed to the upside in his move to Baton Rouge, noting he had a tackle for loss in 11 games and added 13 quarterback hurries.
Tight end Trey’Dez Green checked in at No. 49. The 6-foot-7 target has already made his mark with 46 catches for 534 yards and 11 touchdowns over his first two seasons, and ESPN highlighted how dangerous he was in the red zone last year, when he caught seven red zone touchdowns and finished second on the team with six catches of more than 20 yards.
Linebacker Whit Weeks landed at No. 41, a nod to the impact he can make when healthy. Weeks fought through an ankle injury last season and missed five games, but ESPN emphasized the edge he brings as the “unquestioned leader” of the LSU defense. His sophomore season still stands out, with 125 total tackles.
The Tigers also landed a defender from the portal who ESPN sees as a potential breakout name in safety Ty Benefield at No. 38.
Benefield arrived from Boise State as the No. 2 rated safety in the Transfer Portal and brings a résumé that includes 220 career tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions and 11 pass breakups. ESPN also noted his versatility, with experience deep, in the slot and even as a pass rusher.
At No. 37, quarterback Sam Leavitt gives LSU another big-name addition. He transferred from Arizona State after a breakout 2024 season that helped lead the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff, then saw his 2025 campaign derailed by a foot injury. ESPN said he is fully recovered and now has both the supporting cast and the offensive system to thrive in Baton Rouge.
The final LSU name on the list was offensive tackle Jordan Seaton at No. 34.
Seaton’s offseason has already turned heads, with more than 20 pounds lost and his body fat percentage down to 17%. ESPN praised the move from Colorado to LSU, saying he should immediately lift an offensive line that struggled in 2025, when LSU ranked No. 124 in rushing yards at 104 per game and No. 94 in sacks allowed with 29.
For LSU, the message from ESPN’s list is simple: the Tigers have elite pieces all over the roster, and plenty of them.
In Other News...
LSU Just Made A No. 18 Choice Fans Will Debate
LSUs latest nod to its locker-room standards came with a familiar kind of weight, as center Braelin Moore was chosen to carry the No. 18 tradition into this season. The honor has long been reserved for players who embody leadership and selflessness, and it remains one of the programs more meaningful internal markers. Moore is only the second offensive lineman to earn the distinction, which says plenty about how the Tigers view his role beyond the line of scrimmage.
Because of NCAA numbering rules, Moore will wear a patch representing No. 18 rather than the number itself, but the symbolism is still the point. The tradition dates back to quarterback Matt Mauck and has been passed along to players whose value shows up in the huddle, in the meeting room and in the way teammates respond to them. For LSU, the selection is another reminder that some of its biggest expectations are measured less by statistics than by the standard a player sets every day. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Made A No. 18 Choice Fans Will Read Into
LSU added a familiar bit of symbolism to its roster this week by honoring Braelin Moore with the No. 18 jersey, a number reserved for the Tiger who best reflects leadership and character. Moore, a fifth-year senior center, will keep wearing No. 61 on game day because of NCAA numbering rules, but the patch attached to his uniform carries real meaning around the program.
The choice is notable for another reason: it is only the second time an LSU offensive lineman has received the honor, following Lloyd Cushenberry in 2019. For a position group that usually gets its praise in quieter ways, the gesture says plenty about how Moore is viewed inside the program and why this one figures to resonate with fans who pay attention to the details. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Is Fueling A Debate LSU Fans Can't Ignore
Lane Kiffin is back in the conversation around LSU, but this time it has nothing to do with play-calling or the transfer portal. He appears as the villain in a new Dr. Pepper "Fansville" commercial set to air this football season, another reminder that his image still carries plenty of edge in college football circles and plenty of baggage for fans who remember his Ole Miss days well.
The timing makes the spot especially hard for LSU fans to ignore, because the Tigers have just added former NFL players DaaQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris after both were cut and then entered the transfer portal. Both players once played for Kiffin at Ole Miss before he took over at LSU, which gives the commercial a little extra irony for a fan base still sorting through how to view its coachs old ties. [Read more 🡒]