The Associated Press has released its preseason All-American teams, and LSU is well-represented.
The Tigers have three players named to the first and second team, and two of them are coming back from injuries last year.
Junior linebacker Whit Weeks is LSU’s lone first team selection. Weeks burst onto the scene as a star in his sophomore season — his infectious energy, long blonde locks and country accent made him a fan favorite.
On the field, though, he was a force to be reckoned with. He was named to the first team All-SEC after a season in which he had 125 tackles.
Weeks’ season ended with an injury in the bowl game.
Redshirt senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and redshirt junior linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. were named second team preseason All-Americans.
Nussmeier returns for his final year of eligibility with the Tigers after a difficult decision to pass up the NFL Draft. In 13 games, Nussmeier had 4,052 passing yards and 32 total touchdowns.
Perkins had a knee injury that ended his 2024 season in just the fourth game. He became an instant contributor in his first year as a fearsome edge rusher with 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, both of which led the team.
He hasn’t quite been able to replicate that freshman success since, and he’s now occupying the versatile STAR position in LSU’s new defense, which will cast him as a sort of hybrid linebacker and safety.
