LSU’s defense is starting to show its shape in fall camp, and the early buzz is centered on two young players pushing their way into the first team: defensive tackle Richard Anderson and safety Jhase Thomas.
Anderson was supposed to be a headliner from the moment LSU signed the No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2026 class. He flashed in the spring, then briefly watched fellow freshman Deuce Geralds grab some of the attention.
Now Anderson is taking that spotlight back. During the two practice periods open to media viewing on Thursday night, he opened the day running with the first-team offense in the pursuit drill, then stood out again when the defensive tackles worked the sleds.
He looked as strong and disruptive as anyone in that group.
Thomas is the more surprising name to see with the first unit this early in camp. The redshirt freshman safety barely saw the field on defense last season and didn’t record a tackle, though he did block a punt against Texas A&M when the game was still close in the first half. Even so, he’s now getting first-team reps for the first time.
“Jhase really has done a good job,” Kiffin said after Wednesday’s practice. “[He] can play multiple things, and so we rotate a lot of guys through early.”
That approach matters, especially with defensive coordinator Blake Baker and defensive backs coach Corey Raymond still in place. Baker is giving Thomas a chance to learn in the right spots, and doing it with Boise State transfer Ty Benefield alongside him at safety. Benefield could be LSU’s best player this season, which makes those reps even more valuable for Thomas.
The youth movement on this defense goes beyond those two. LSU also added elite freshmen defensive tackles Deuce Geralds and Richard Anderson, plus five-star edge Lamar Brown. Geralds has been working with the first team since spring, while Anderson is now forcing his way into the conversation in camp.
Both Thomas and Anderson bring more than talent; they come from Louisiana programs that know how to win. Thomas starred on both sides of the ball at Destrehan High School and was part of the 2022 Destrehan team that won state. Anderson, meanwhile, was a force at Edna Karr High School in New Orleans and helped lead Edna Karr to back-to-back state championships in his final two years.
Thomas was the No. 14 overall player in Louisiana in the 2025 class, while Anderson ranked No. 2 in the state in 2026, behind only Brown, his teammate.
For LSU, the encouraging part is obvious: these are young players already looking the part of starters. As camp moves on, Anderson and Thomas are names to keep watching.
In Other News...
LSUs Defensive Front Is Already Fueling Serious Fall Camp Buzz
LSUs defensive front has been one of the early storylines of fall camp, and it is easy to see why. The group blends veteran pieces with a wave of new transfers and arrivals, giving the Tigers a deeper and more varied rotation up front than they had a year ago. Dominick McKinley, Malik Blocton, Deuce Geralds, Lamar Brown, Jordan Ross, Princewill Umanmielen, Whit Weeks and TJ Dottery are among the names drawing attention as the staff sorts out how all the pieces fit.
Several of those players have already landed on the Bronko Nagurski early watch list, a sign of the respect the unit is earning before the season even begins. Early camp reports have been encouraging on both the returning and incoming sides, and that matters for LSU because the defensive line is expected to be a major strength if the group can carry this momentum into September. The talent is there, the depth looks real, and now the Tigers are trying to turn that buzz into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffins First LSU Offense Comes With One Huge Question
Lane Kiffins first LSU offense is already taking shape in familiar fashion, with the new head coach leaning into the kind of up-tempo, multiple attack that made his Ole Miss teams so difficult to prepare for. Kiffin has long paired quick pace with a serious commitment to the run game, a blend shaped in part by his defensive-minded upbringing and the coaches who influenced him along the way. At LSU, the broad outline is clear enough: the Tigers want to play fast, stay physical and keep pressure on defenses.
The bigger question is how that vision will look when the season opens against Clemson. Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. are still sorting through personnel and refining the plan, trying to match the scheme to a roster that features a rebuilt offensive line, new receivers and a backfield led by returning runners Caden Durham and Harlem Berry, along with transfer Dilin Jones. For LSU, the idea is familiar enough, but the exact shape of the offense is still a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Still Has Two Big Offensive Battles Brewing Before Clemson
With fall camp now four practices deep, LSU is still sorting out a couple of the biggest questions on offense before the Clemson opener. Mondays session brought media a little closer to the unit, and the most immediate competition remains up front, where Lane Kiffin and offensive line coach Eric Wolford are still piecing together the starting five. Tennessee transfer William Satterwhite II has been getting first-team work at right tackle, a sign the Tigers are continuing to test different combinations as they try to settle the line.
The uncertainty does not stop there. Wide receiver and tight end are both still being evaluated, with several players making cases to be part of the rotation or even push for starting roles. For LSU, that means camp is already carrying some real stakes, because the offense still has more sorting to do than it would prefer this close to a high-profile opener. [Read more 🡒]