The 3 best LSU Football players to buy stock in this offseason

Kole Taylor — Sophomore tight end

Tight end Arik Gilbert was going to be a huge weapon for LSU in 2021 and 2022.

But unfortunately for the Tigers, Gilbert is transferring to Florida.

So who steps up at tight end?

I think the obvious answer is Kole Taylor, a former three-star recruit from Colorado.

Taylor is a player I liked a lot during the recruiting process. I think he’s better than his three-star rating indicates. I also think he was mostly forgot about because of the presence of Gilbert.

One of the things everyone loved about Gilbert was how he’s a massive mismatch on the field.

The same can be said of Taylor — especially in the red zone. Taylor is a huge target (6-foot-7) and he has great hands. He’ll be an extremely reliable target for Myles Brennan when LSU absolutely needs a first down.

Taylor only caught six passes for 36 yards last season, but that’s because he spent most of the season playing behind Gilbert.

If Taylor is “the guy” in 2021 (and I think he will be), he could have a breakout season as a sophomore.