CBS Sports put a pair of LSU freshmen defenders on its radar for 2026, with writer Brad Crawford naming defensive linemen Lamar Brown and Deuce Geralds among his SEC freshmen to watch.
Brown, a five-star prospect, drew praise for his flexibility up front and the role he could play in Blake Baker’s defense in Baton Rouge. Crawford pointed to the injury to Gabriel Reliford as part of the reason Brown should see action in the rotation, and said the freshman can help ease some of the burden on prized Ole Miss portal signee Princewill Umanmielen at the edge while also creating chances for teammates in one-on-one matchups.
“Lamar Brown, DL, LSU
A five-star with a ton of hype, Brown has positional versatility at the point of attack and will be part of the rotation on Blake Baker's defense in Baton Rouge, especially after the injury to Gabriel Reliford. Brown should be able to alleviate some of the pressure off the shoulders of prized Ole Miss portal signee Princewill Umanmielen at the edge and offer up opportunities for others to make plays in 1-on-1 situations.”
Geralds also made the cut after climbing onto LSU’s projected two-deep during spring practice. Crawford described him as a potential piece of what could become a dangerous pass rush group for the Tigers this fall, while noting that he arrived with less buzz than Brown or Richard Anderson but still impressed with his quickness and power at the line.
“Deuce Geralds, DL, LSU
Geralds emerged as a starter on the projected two-deep after LSU's spring practice on the interior, giving the Tigers potentially one of the nastiest pass rush units in the conference this fall. While he didn't enroll with as much hype as Brown or Richard Anderson, Geralds turned heads with his agility and strength at the line of scrimmage.”
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