Lane Kiffin didn’t spend much time pretending the LSU receiver room was settled when fall camp opened. He tore it down, rebuilt it, and now the whole thing is one big competition.
That’s no accident. Wide receiver has always been one of the spots Kiffin knows best, and he wants it stocked with players who can change the game either by stretching the field or creating extra yards after the catch. So when he got to LSU, the makeover was immediate: nine new receivers came in through the transfer portal, and all of them are fighting for snaps.
"No one had a head start on anybody - so they're all basically new,” Kiffin said of his receivers on Monday. “We retooled that room almost from top to bottom.
It's been very competitive. It's really one of the better rooms from the bottom of it.”
The additions brought in a mix of proven production and upside. Kansas State’s Jayce Brown, Hawaii’s Jackson Harris, and Florida’s Eugene Wilson are among the more established names in the group. Then there are the higher-ceiling bets, including Winston Watkins Jr., who followed Kiffin from Ole Miss, along with Malik Elzy and Tre Brown.
For now, Phillip Wright III is the only returning wideout from last season’s team who has recorded a reception. Everyone else is new, which means the learning curve is the same across the board as the receivers get familiar with the offense and try to sync up with quarterback Sam Leavitt.
Kiffin likes that kind of environment. He pointed to the level of competition in the room as a way to sharpen the entire team, not just the top few names.
"The competition down there and the quality of it, which is important because not just do those guys play, but even below them, that's what makes your practices better because they serve the team that you're going against,” Kiffin said. “So we try to really make every slot on the roster better every chance that we have."
One of the early standouts has been Troy transfer Roman Mothershed, who continued a strong offseason by working with the second-team offense, according to LSU Tigers on SI after Day 3 of camp.
Mothershed brings a different look to the room at 6-foot-5 and 208 pounds. That size stands out next to Brown, Harris, and Wilson, all of whom are 6-foot-2 or shorter.
And that variety may end up mattering. Kiffin has shown before that if he has the depth, he’ll use a wide range of receivers. If this group keeps pushing each other the way it has early in camp, LSU could be building the kind of depth that gives him plenty of options.
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That angle matters even more now that Kiffin has left Ole Miss for LSU, where the Rebels new offensive playcaller will be John David Baker. For LSU, the move created an unexpected subplot to keep an eye on, because Chambliss is no longer tied to the coach many people associated with his rise. The question hanging over the next chapter is whether his production travels with him when the architect of the old offense is gone and the new one takes over. [Read more 🡒]
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LSU Faces An Early Receiver Concern As Clemson Prep Intensifies
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The more immediate concern is at receiver, where Winston Watkins Jr. was absent again for a second straight practice. LSU does not have much time to let any camp absence linger with Clemson looming, so every rep matters now, especially as the Tigers try to sort out who is ready to handle the load when the opener arrives. Watkins availability will be worth watching as camp intensity rises and the depth chart starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]