Lane Kiffin built LSU’s 2025 roster through the portal, but the next phase could look very different.
That’s the big takeaway from the way Kiffin has approached the Tigers after an offseason that saw 38 players leave and 42 transfers come in. The haul included names like Sam Leavitt, TJ Dottery, Princewill Umanmielen, Winston Watkins Jr. and Jackson Harris, giving LSU a roster loaded with newcomers.
But Kiffin has hinted that the 2027 plan may not be about another wholesale portal overhaul. Instead, the emphasis appears to be on keeping the current group together and adding transfers who can stick around for more than one season.
That matters because LSU’s roster already has a built-in foundation. The Tigers have only 15 graduating seniors, which gives the program a chance to bring back a significant chunk of its core.
A number of key players still have eligibility left, and the added fifth year could shape how LSU looks in 2027.
Weeks, for example, will have one year left after four seasons with the Tigers. Injuries have slowed his last two years, and that could make a return for a fifth season a real possibility.
Leavitt is another name to watch. He has two years of eligibility remaining as a redshirt junior, and his draft stock has been moving around all year because of his high interception rate. Another season in Baton Rouge could help him improve that standing.
Safety Dashawn Spears, who is out for the rest of the season with an ACL tear, was originally projected to be an early-round pick in 2027. That injury could push him toward staying for another year before making the jump to the NFL.
Linebacker Davhon Keys has been a steady part of LSU’s defense over his three years and still has two years of eligibility left. He looks like a player who could use that time to build himself into a 2027 or 2028 draft prospect.
Running back Dilin Jones is in a similar spot, with three full years of eligibility still available.
At the same time, LSU is also staring at some likely early departures. Green is currently ranked as the top tight end in the potential 2027 draft class and is viewed as a consensus first-round pick, making him a strong candidate to leave after the 2026 season.
Left tackle Jordan Seaton is also projected as a first-round pick. If that happens, he would be the first lineman drafted from LSU since Will Campbell went in the first round to the New England Patriots in 2025.
The Tigers will also lose fifth-year senior Dottery, who has used up his eligibility after five seasons split between Clemson, Ole Miss and LSU.
With so many key pieces potentially able to return, LSU’s most important offseason job may not be chasing the biggest names in the portal. It may be keeping the roster it already has.
And while it’s not clear how much the Tigers have already invested in their players, the logic is straightforward: develop the group already in place instead of pouring more money into another full transfer class.
In Other News...
LSU May Be Weighing A Surprising Lamar Brown Role Change
Lamar Browns Instagram post has added a little intrigue to LSUs roster picture, because the freshman defensive lineman appears to be hinting at a possible move to the offensive line. Brown has mostly been used on the defensive side this season, and his playing time has been limited, which makes any potential shift worth watching as the Tigers continue sorting out where young talent might fit best.
LSU has not officially confirmed any position change, and for now Browns future remains in the realm of possibility rather than announcement. Still, a switch like this would be notable for a player whose early college role has not yet fully settled, and it gives the Tigers another personnel storyline to monitor as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Got A Stunning Title Vote Before Alabama Week
Nick Saban rarely hands out compliments lightly, which is why his latest national title pick turned heads around Baton Rouge. With LSU sitting at 6-2 and No. 15 in the rankings, the former Alabama coach pointed to the Tigers as a sleeper candidate to win it all, citing a team that has paired strong scoring with a defense that has done its part. Six of LSU's wins have come by 20 or more points, a sign that when the Tigers are rolling, they can separate from opponents in a hurry.
The timing makes the endorsement even more interesting with Alabama coming in at 6-2 and ranked No. 10 for a matchup that already had plenty riding on it. Saban did flag quarterback Sam Leavitt's turnover issues as a possible obstacle, a reminder that LSU still has questions to answer before any championship talk gets serious. Still, getting that kind of vote of confidence from Saban just before Alabama week adds another layer to a game that was already going to carry plenty of weight. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Faces An Early Recruiting Test In A Battle Fans Will Notice
The early stages of B.J. LaFells recruitment already have a familiar LSU feel to them. The son of former Tigers receiver Brandon LaFell, the 2029 prospect has picked up offers from LSU and Notre Dame, along with other programs, and the Tigers are leaning into a pitch that combines family ties with a long track record of developing NFL receivers.
For LSU, this is the kind of battle fans will notice because it reaches beyond the usual recruiting chatter and into legacy territory. Notre Dame gives him a national alternative with its own appeal, and the process is still just beginning, with coaching relationships and development opportunities likely to matter as much as any school name on the offer sheet. [Read more 🡒]