The LSU Football team's 2023 Recruiting Class has had More Walkouts Than Breakouts

As the Transfer Portal opens and we see players from the LSU Football team announce their departures its intriguing to take a look on how their time at LSU panned out. The Tigers have relied more on building through the traditional route of High School recruiting rather than leaning heavily on the transfer portal. This season one of the issues the team had was the lack of impact from the 2023 Recruiting Class.

When the group signed, it was the Nation's 5th ranked recruiting class marking a massive first full recruiting class from Brian Kelly. The Tigers signed 27 recruits rebuilding the roster after Ed Orgeron left, 38% of the recruits came from Louisiana while 65% of the Class were considered "Blue Chip Recruits".

As the transfer portal takes players away from LSU, this class is beginning to look like a flop as a majority of the players have left the program.

The two Five-Stars LSU signed Zalance Heard and Da'Shawn Womack didn't pan out as everyone would've hoped. LSU had two star offensive tackles leading to Heard transferring after one season while Da'Shawn Womack stayed for two seasons but, didn't play much as Bradyn Swinson and Sai'Vion Jones dominated.

The Tigers landed two more top-100 recruits according to On3 in Wide Receiver Shelton Sampson Jr and Tight End Ka'Mourreun Pimpton. Shelton Sampson Jr ends his LSU career without a catch as he announced he'll be transferring on Thursday. Pimpton caught 6 passes for 79 yards this season and should be a key piece for LSU in 2025 with Mason Taylor declaring for the NFL Draft.

The biggest star for LSU class came in the Nation's 110th ranked recruit Linebacker Whit Weeks. The Sophomore Linebacker finished his 2nd season with 114 tackles leading the SEC along with 3.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and an interception.

Rounding out the top 200 recruits for LSU were 126th ranked Jalen Brown, 132nd ranked DJ Chester, 141st Ranked Javien Toviano, and 167th ranked Tyree Adams. Jalen Brown transferred to Florida State after his freshman season finishing the 2024 season with just 8 catches for 75 yards on a Florida State team that clearly lacked talent.

DJ Chester started the entire season at center while Tyree Adams suffered an injury but, played a ton with Garrett Dellinger out as both should be key pieces next season. Javien Toviano remains with the team but, saw his playing time cut to a role mostly on special teams after starting 3 games in 2023-24.

Rounding out the top 300 were Kaleb Jackson, Kylin Jackson, Jaxon Howard, and Dylan Carpenter. The four hardly have played at LSU as Howard transferred after his freshman season and Kylin Jackson entered the transfer portal on Thursday. Kaleb Jackson was expected to take the next step this season but, Caden Durham's emergence made him the third running back in the rotation. Dylan Carpenter got to play in the end of the Oklahoma game and gave LSU some impressive reps and could be a key piece in 2025.

LSU closed out the class signing Rickie Collins, Paul Mubenga, Connor Gilbreath, Michael Daugherty, Christian Brathwaite, Khai Prean, Ryan Yaites, Mac Markway, Trey Holly, Kyle Parker, Jeremiah Hughes, Jackson McGohan, and Ashton Stamps.

The Tigers lost Gilbreath, Daugherty, Brathwaite, Prean, Markway, Hughes, and McGohan all after last season. Rickie Collins joined the group announcing he'd leave this offseason. Paul Mubenga and Kyle Parker have both contributed this season but, they should become starters next season. Trey Holly remains away from the team dealing with a legal issue but, if he does return its to a loaded running back room. The best of the group has been Ashton Stamps who has started this entire season at Cornerback.

The Final Count for LSU's 2023 class through two years

Through the early part of the offseason 15 of the 27 signees have already transferred or have announced that they will this offseason which could grow before December 9th when the transfer portal opens. Through two seasons, Whit Weeks, DJ Chester, and Ashton Stamps have been the three true starters from the class. Players like Kyle Parker, Paul Mubenga, Tyree Adams, Javien Toviano, and Ka'Morreun Pimpton have all made an impact and could become key pieces in 2025. Overall, this class was loaded when LSU got them onto campus but, the vast majority have departed or haven't made a true impact yet.

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