LSU Football: Thaddeus Moss going to NFL hurts, but Tigers are in good shape

A ninth LSU football player announced on Friday he’s heading to the NFL.

LSU football learned on Friday that tight end Thaddeus Moss is heading to the NFL with a year of eligibility remaining (maybe two, depending on a NCAA waiver, which doesn’t matter now).

Moss is the ninth LSU player to declare for the draft since the Tigers won the national championship.

The 6-foot-3 tight end transferred to LSU after playing one season at NC State. He had to sit out in 2017 due to transfer rules, and he missed the 2018 season due a foot injury.

In his lone season with the Tigers, Moss caught 47 passes for 570 yards and four touchdowns. Three of Moss’ touchdown receptions came in the College Football Playoff (two against Oklahoma and one against Clemson).

Those might seem like modest numbers, but Moss actually set the LSU record for catches by a tight end in a season.

(Plus, it’s important to remember that LSU had quite a few offensive weapons in 2019.)

Despite the loss of Moss, the Tigers should still be in good shape at the tight end position in 2020.

Five-star tight end Arik Gilbert, 247Sports’ highest rated tight end ever, signed with LSU in December.

Gilbert is a rare talent who has the ability to be an elite blocker and an elite pass catcher. With Moss out of the picture, the starting job is essentially his to lose (and I can’t see him losing it, barring injury).

LSU should be able to create some ridiculous mismatches with Gilbert. They can use him as a wide receiver, or they line him up as a tight end and try to get him into a situation where he’s covered by a linebacker (who will have no chance).

(Gilbert could also probably be a stud defensive end if he wanted to be.)

Losing Moss will certainly hurt LSU’s depth, but they’re going to be replacing him with a kid that has the potential to be a very special player in the SEC.