With LSU 27 days from kicking off against Clemson, the focus isn’t just on the countdown clock. It’s also on the next wave of Tigers who will wear No. 27 in Baton Rouge, a number that now belongs to a freshman defensive back and a transfer running back with plenty of room to grow.
One of those names is CB Dez Ellis. Another is RB Raycine Guillory Jr. Together, they give No. 27 a fresh look heading into the season, even as LSU continues digging through the jersey’s history to connect the present-day roster with what came before.
Ellis arrives as another Louisiana defensive back brought in by Corey Raymond, and his path is the kind that takes patience. He played quarterback in high school and is still learning the defensive side, but LSU clearly likes the raw material. He’s now listed at 6-foot-2 and 189 pounds, up from 175 as a recruit, and that added size only makes his freshman year more intriguing.
The expectation is simple: Ellis will be part of LSU’s long-term plans at the position while the more established names handle the spotlight now. Even so, the early signs are strong.
Guillory brings a different kind of intrigue. The Texas native is a redshirt freshman with four years of eligibility remaining, and he joins a rebuilt running back room that already includes Harlem Berry and Caden Durham. That means his role may come with time, but LSU is bringing him in for a reason.
He spent last season at Utah, where he logged one carry for four yards before entering the portal after just one year. Now he lands in Lane Kiffin’s offense, where his athleticism could finally get more chances to show up.
At 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds, Guillory isn’t built to bulldoze defenders. Give him a lane, though, and he can make people miss.
That speed has been part of his calling card for a while, too. In high school, he piled up nearly 3,000 yards and 50 touchdowns across his sophomore and junior seasons before graduating early.
The most recent notable Tiger to wear No. 27 was RB Josh Williams, whose LSU story became one of the program’s better success tales. He started as a walk-on, earned a scholarship, and turned that grind into production.
Over his LSU career from 2019 to 2024, Williams recorded 385 touches for 2,094 yards and 18 touchdowns. He carried that same approach into the NFL, where he went undrafted in 2025 but still earned a spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Whitworths rsum is the kind that keeps growing in value the longer it sits on the shelf. He left the league with three All-Pro selections, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award and a place in history as the oldest offensive lineman to start and win a Super Bowl. Whether that ultimately becomes enough to get him across the Hall of Fame threshold is still the open question, but it is already another reminder of how complete his legacy has become. [Read more 🡒]