Heading into the spring of 2017, the Tigers’ defense will look vastly different than it did against Louisville in the Citrus Bowl.
As LSU begins its spring practice on March 11, The Daily Reveille takes a look at the Tigers’ roster heading into practice.
The Departures
The Tigers are losing nine players who started multiple games last year, six of whom were listed as starters for 10 or more games.
More importantly, the Tigers are losing their top five leading tacklers, and besides junior Arden Key, no one on the roster has more than four and half career sacks.
Linebackers Duke Riley and Kendell Beckwith are gone. So are defensive ends Davon Godchaux, and Lewis Neal, leaving massive holes in LSU’s front seven.
The Tigers are also losing cornerback Tre’Davious White, who started 47 of his 49 career games, and safety Jamal Adams, who is likely a top 10-pick in the 2017 NFL draft.
The Returners
However, Dave Aranda’s defense caught a few breaks with the NCAA granting extended eligibility to defensive end Christian LaCouture.
LaCouture has 86 career tackles and four and half sacks and was a three-year starter at defensive tackle. He suffered a knee injury in fall camp, forcing him to miss the 2016 season after being moved to end in Dave Aranda’s defense.
The Tigers also bring back key starters in senior nose tackle Greg Gilmore, who had 34 tackles and a sack in 2016, junior cornerback Donte Jackson who has 65 tackles and three interceptions in his career, and junior cornerback Kevin Toliver, who missed half of the 2016 season due to injury and “inconsistent play.”
The common belief is that Jackson and Toliver will be starting at cornerback while being backed up by sophomores Kristian Fulton and Saivion Smith during the spring. Also, redshirt sophomore Xavier Lewis is expected to contend for the nickel position during spring practice.
At safety, the Tigers return John Battle, who started the second half of the season in place of an injured Rickey Jefferson.
The New Guys
Younger players such as linebacker Devin White, who racked up 30 tackles and a sack in 2016, could be a replacement for Beckwith or Riley.
White and senior linebacker Donnie Alexander, who made two starts in place of Beckwith and had 45 tackles in 2016, are set to start inside.
However, the depth behind White and Alexander and at the other outside linebacker spot is still a bit murky for the spring.
On the defensive line, which is led by LaCouture and Gilmore, sophomore defensive linemen Rashard Lawrence, and Ed Alexander look to get significantly more playing time in 2017.
Lawrence and Herron are set to compete for the defensive end spot vacated by Neal, and Alexander is the primary backup for Gilmore at nose tackle.
Also with the absence of Key in the spring, sophomore defensive end Sci Martin and redshirt freshmen Ray Thornton and Andre Anthony look to get valuable reps in his spot.
Orgeron has also spoken highly about early-enrollees Jacoby Stevens and Grant Delpit, who could push for playing time with availability at both safety spots.
LSU sophomore defensive tackle Davon Godchaux (57) stands on the field before the Tigers’ 44 to 22 victory against Eastern Michigan on Saturday October 3 2015, in Tiger Stadium.
