LSU gets big defensive boost with linebacker transfer

The LSU Tigers scored another significant transfer portal gain on Thursday in linebacker Omar Speights. Fans must understand the former Oregon State Beaver is more than a depth piece for a needy linebacking corps. The tape and box scores show that Speights can play big time football.

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Speights was a four-year starter in Corvallis and tallied over 300 tackles in 45 games. The senior comes to Baton Rogue with 2nd Team All-Pac 12 honors and appeared on Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski Award watch lists. But, perhaps most important to LSU is the leadership Speights can bring to the LSU locker room. Speights was named a 2022 team captain for Oregon State, a role he’s qualified to fill for the Tigers. Such is needed for a defense that said goodbye to all three captains of last season.

According to SI.com, Speights is “an energetic linebacker that uses functional athleticism to create disruption.” The Philadelphia, PA native is an inside linebacking specialist and candidate to replace former leading tackler Micah Baskerville. Sophomore West Weeks predominantly slotted behind Baskerville on the 2022 depth chart. However, Speights offers an open-field quickness and explosiveness that should earn him a starting role in Baton Rouge.

It is fair to say the 2023 LSU Tigers are most needy at the linebacker position. Such comes after the departures of Baskerville, Mike Jones Jr., and Demario Tolan. Speights joins fellow transfer veteran linebacker transfer Ovie Oghoufo, as well as returning Tigers, Harold Perkins, Weeks, Greg Penn III, and Quency Wiggins. An alignment featuring Oghoufo at JACK, Perkins at SPY, Speights at MIKE, and Penn at WILL linebacker, seems likely. There is also the potential to for Speights to secure the role at WILL. Regardless, the situation is worth monitoring over the Spring.

But, of course, one can never assume Brian Kelly is done adding defenders from the transfer portal. Today, more than two dozen linebackers remain in the portal, looking for their next school. LSU might not be done backfilling and upgrading their defense just yet.