With kickoff against Clemson now only seven days away, LSU’s annual No. 7 reveal has landed on two players who fit the number in very different ways. In Baton Rouge, that jersey is never just a number.
It’s a marker of status, a sign that the staff believes a player can carry real weight for the Tigers. And as history has shown, that kind of spotlight can lift a player up or expose him fast.
This year, the first two names attached to it are linebacker Whit Weeks and tight end Trey'Dez Green.
Weeks was the one many expected to wind up with No. 18 because of the path he’s taken as a senior. Instead, he gets No. 7, and it makes plenty of sense.
After an injury-riddled junior season, he’s still the linebacker LSU fans remember from 2024, when he piled up 125 tackles and 10 TFLs. At his best, he’s the kind of three-down defender who can handle the run and still move well enough to stay on the field in every situation.
That matters even more now because Weeks is heading into his final season with NFL draft hopes still in play. LSU already had an elite defense last year while he was limited, and the thought of putting him back into that unit healthy - alongside all the talent the Tigers brought in this offseason - is what makes this assignment feel so important.
He’s also stepping into a number with a real defensive lineage at LSU, following Harold Perkins and, before him, names like Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson. That’s a heavy standard, and Weeks is now the next one asked to make the number mean something.
Green brings a different kind of electricity to No. 7.
At 6-foot-7, he’s one of those rare players who looks built for mismatch football before the ball is even snapped. His athleticism stands out immediately, and when he’s right, he can be a nightmare to deal with in the red zone.
Corners simply don’t have many answers for a body like that, and even when they manage to interfere with him, the contact often turns into a flag.
The fit feels natural because the moment Green joined LSU, this kind of role seemed inevitable. He has the kind of movement ability that can change how defenses have to think about him near the goal line. And with Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis having leaned on the run in those situations with the Ole Miss Rebels last year, getting Kewan Lacy to 24 touchdowns and the SEC lead, Green now gives them a weapon unlike any other at their disposal.
In Other News...
Former LSU Standouts Are Turning Preseason Chances Into Real NFL Momentum
Training camp headlines can blur together fast, but a handful of former LSU standouts have given themselves a much better shot at sticking in the NFL with strong preseason showings. Jack Pyburn, Barion Brown and Zavion Thomas all made noise in different uniforms, and each turned early opportunities into production that caught attention beyond the usual August noise.
Pyburn finished with four sacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown chipped in multiple catches and a rushing touchdown for the New Orleans Saints, and Thomas was especially productive for the Chicago Bears with five receptions for 140 yards and a score. For LSU fans, it is the kind of preseason development worth tracking closely, because performances like these can be the difference between a practice-squad wait and a real roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kellys First Post-LSU Move Will Spark Plenty Of Reactions
Brian Kellys first fall away from the sideline came with a headset instead of a play sheet, as he made his debut as a college football color commentator on CBS for the North Dakota State-Jacksonville State game. For a coach who had not spent a season outside the profession since the late 1970s, the shift was a notable one, and it immediately gave LSU fans a different way to watch the former Tigers coach start his next chapter.
Kelly said he knows there is work to do on the broadcasting side, but he also sounded appreciative of the help he received from his CBS colleagues. The move comes after a long coaching run and his recent departure from LSU, so seeing him in the booth instead of on the sideline is bound to draw reactions in Baton Rouge and beyond as his post-LSU path begins to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Get A Huge Pass Rush Boost Right Before The Opener
With NFL teams trimming down to their 53-man rosters, former LSU defensive end Jack Pyburn is suddenly in play again. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived him as they finalized their roster, and if he clears waivers, the plan is for him to head back to Baton Rouge just before the Tigers open the season.
For LSU, the timing could hardly be better. The SECs recent decision to allow players on NFL rosters to return to college football opened the door for Pyburn and other former NFL players to rejoin the Tigers, giving the defense a chance to pick up a significant boost right as the opener approaches. The only question now is how quickly everything falls into place. [Read more 🡒]