Analyst predicts highly touted true freshman won’t start for LSU football to start season
By Zach Ragan
LSU football has a highly touted true freshman on the defensive side of the ball that could make some noise in 2020.
It’s nice to actually be talking about what will happen on the field, instead of debating whether or not LSU football will play this season (though that’s still a conversation that will be ongoing this year).
If the Tigers are able to take the field this season, they’ll have plenty of question marks to address, thanks to the mass exodus of talent from Baton Rouge this past offseason.
One of those question marks is at defensive end, a position that will look a bit different with Bo Pelini’s new 4-3 defense (as opposed to the 3-4 defense that Dave Aranda used as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator).
With K’Lavon Chaisson off to the NFL, plus the move to the 4-3, there will be plenty of opportunities for edge rushers to step up for LSU’s defense.
The Tigers signed four-star defensive end BJ Ojulari during the 2020 recruiting cycle, but one analyst who covers LSU doesn’t think he’ll begin the season at the top of the depth chart.
Who will start at defensive end for LSU football?
Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron has consistently praised Ojulari during the offseason.
“He’s just so athletic…Hard worker. He just has all the makings of being a great end. He’s perfect for the 4-3,” said Coach O earlier this offseason (via Sports Illustrated).
Despite the compliments from Orgeron, 247Sports’ Sonny Shipp doesn’t think Ojulari will win a starting job this fall, instead going with Andre Anthony and Justin Thomas.
“I may be in the minority, but this system finally plays into the senior’s strengths. He (Anthony) struggled in space in Dave Aranda’s 3-4 and has stepped up throughout the offseason to put himself in this position,” wrote Shipp.
The 247Sports writer acknowledged, however, that holding off Ojulari won’t be easy for Anthony.
“Keeping the two true freshmen – Ojulari and Webb – at bay once they get their feet wet will not be easy, because both young cubs are the real deal,” explained Shipp.
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Shipp could end up being right — Ojulari might not start the season at the top of the depth chart.
But it won’t be long before the talented Georgia native makes his presence felt — he’s going to be a force in the SEC.