Aside from quarterback, revamping the offensive line is LSU's biggest need heading into the 2026 season. The Tiger O line struggled mightily and battled injuries all throughout the 2025 season, which led to a vastly underwhelming season offensively.
Lane Kiffin makes his offensive strategy clear with latest portal signing
Now, a total of 6 LSU offensive linemen have decided to enter the portal, including 4 of its 5 starters from this past season. That means Kiffin and new OL coach Eric Wolford have their work cut out for them. As Kiffin and his staff continue navigating the transfer portal, Tennessee OL Lance Heard is one player to target.
Tennessee All-SEC offensive tackle Lance Heard is expected to enter the transfer portal, a source tells @CBSSports pic.twitter.com/JpI6nhyXaB
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 1, 2026
Lance Heard would be a great fit for LSU's new-look offensive line
Heard is ranked as the No. 2 offensive lineman in the portal according to the Saturday Blitz Transfer Portal Rankings. He is an exceptional pass blocker, as he allowed just 13 pressures and 2 sacks on 486 pass blocking snaps in 2025. He started 23 games for the Volunteers over the last 2 seasons, and was named to the All-SEC Third Team this past season.
Heard is quite familiar with LSU, as he spent his freshman season backing up Will Campbell in Baton Rouge as a true freshman. He played in all 12 regular season games, seeing one start, and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team before entering the portal and transferring to Tennessee. Could a return to Baton Rouge be in the making?
Kiffin is looking to make a splash in the QB market via the portal. He missed out on Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby, and is now pursuing Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt. If Leavitt decides to head to Baton Rouge, it's imperative that Kiffin protect him with an elite offensive line. With 3 seasons of SEC experience as well as a massive 6'6" 330-pound frame, LSU could be the perfect landing spot for Heard.
Making Heard a top priority would be a smart move for Kiffin. LSU fans are anxious to see improvement on the offensive line in 2026, and Heard is arguably the best OL on the market. Heard returning to LSU to finish out his collegiate career would be a welcome sight for Tiger fans everywhere.