As the spring transfer portal window opened on April 16, LSU football remained in full pursuit of strengthening its depth chart. However, one position remains a priority to add to this offseason: defensive tackle.
“We need to get some help at the defensive tackle position, which we will, we’re addressing it,” Head Coach Brian Kelly said.
The Tigers added defensive tackle Gio Paez from Wisconsin; he committed to LSU on March 26. Paez is a sixth-year player, providing experience to LSU’s defensive tackle room.
Additional experience is the angle Kelly and his staff are taking when recruiting defensive linemen out of the transfer portal.
Indiana defensive tackle Phillip Blidi was in Baton Rouge for an official visit on April 10. Blidi will be entering his fifth season at the collegiate level after spending three seasons at Texas Tech and one at Indiana. At Indiana this past season, Blidi totaled 30 tackles.
LSU also extended an offer to Kent State defensive lineman CJ West on April 16, who will also be entering his fifth season. West was an All-Mid American Conference selection with 40 total tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble this past season.
TCU defensive tackle Damonic Williams will visit LSU on April 30. Williams totaled 60 tackles, 4 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble in his two seasons at TCU. He’s also set to visit Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado before LSU.
Landing one or two defensive tackles out of the transfer portal is imperative for LSU. In this season’s transfer portal cycle, both winter and spring, the Tigers have lost three defensive tackles to the portal in Bryce Langston, Tygee Hill and Fitzgerald West.
While the three received minimal playing time in their times at LSU, their departures meant strength in numbers are even less in LSU’s favor. So much so that rising junior offensive lineman, Kimo Makane’ole, was switched to the defensive line.
“They’ve been helping me a lot, Coach Baker, Coach Bo Davis, helping me with the techniques, especially at the fronts too, and getting to know this new position I have,” Makane’ole said.
Whether the switch was because of lack of depth or the new defensive staff seeing Makane’ole as a better fit on the defensive line, there still isn’t a lot of experience.
Jacobian Guillory is the leader in the defensive tackle room, entering his fifth-year senior season. But regardless of his extensive time and experience within the program, as he appeared in all 13 games this past season, Guillory has only started three games over the past two seasons.
Jalen Lee will also be entering his senior season on the defensive line. But similar to Guillory, Lee hasn’t had a ton of action. This past season, Lee finished with two total tackles.
Guillory and Lee both have experience, but adding a player or two out of the portal with both experience and production would put the defensive line in a more comfortable spot.
Until that happens, Shone Washington could be a newcomer that could potentially make an impact from the start of the season. In LSU’s Spring Game, Washington showed a lot of good flashes.
Washington finished the Spring Game with five total tackles, a sack, and one-and-a-half tackles for loss. He signed with Georgia out of high school, but after a season in Athens, he transferred to East Mississippi Community College.
Last season at East Mississippi, Washington finished with 26 tackles and a sack, making him a big part of a defensive front that only allowed 19 points per game.
In addition to the more experienced players on LSU’s defensive front, the Tigers are also bringing in five-star defensive tackle Dominick McKinley from its high school Class of 2024.
Standing at 6-foot-6 inches and weighing 280 pounds, McKinley was the top-ranked player in Louisiana, the No. 4 defensive tackle in the country, and the No. 14 overall recruit in the 2024 class, according to 247sports.
McKinley could arguably have the most potential out of anyone in the defensive line room, including players LSU could add. But asking a true freshman to come in and start from the beginning is a tall task. It’s not unheard of, but certainly not a frequent occurrence.
The additions of a couple of pieces to the defensive line is essential to continue LSU’s consistent success it’s had since Kelly arrived in Baton Rouge. And while there is a new defensive staff for this season, the defense especially needs to respond.
It all starts with experience, and that’s what the Tigers need to look for in this transfer portal season. And Kelly and his staff are confident they’ll find it.
“We have to win right away, and I get that,” Kelly said. “We’re going to put together a defense that puts us in a position to win the SEC.”
