LSU Tigers 2024 Preview | Full Depth Chart and Schedule Breakdowns

Intro/2023 Season Review what is up everybody welcome back to the Der YouTube channel we're back with another top 25 college football team we are cting down the top 25 teams in college football we are down to LSU we're gonna be talking about the Tigers down there in the bayou talking about Brian Kelly does he have them back we haven't seen any dancing videos this this off season so we'll talk about the recruiting class we're gonna be diving into all of that on this preview going over offense defense transfers impact players their 2024 schedule what their over under is and can LSU go to the playoffs that's what we're looking at but before we do that we got to talk about last year a little bit when you're looking at overall they were 10 and three last year and like we talked about it pre show one of the weirdest LSU teams that we've probably seen offensively they had it jayen Daniels obviously the high hasman winner 3,800 yards 40 touchdowns in the air 1100 yards rushing uh they were he was fantastic last year right we're talking about when you think about wide receivers we're talking about Brian Thomas Jr we're talking about Malik neighbors that offense was absolutely cooking but the defense was terrible like on the defensive side had they had just the normal LSU defense this team would have competed for a national title that's how good they could have been but they just didn't have that right and so moving forward what does this look like they're going through a transition they did lose a lot of guys we'll talk about 2024 Offense but when you look at their offense from last year as well they were number one in points per game last year 43.3 you know looking at yards per game number one number one in points per play number one in yards per play number two in third down conversion they were fantastic there they averaged over six yards per Rush last year number one in the nation there um a lot of that had to do with jayen Daniels though and then passing stats when you're looking at that overall number one in yards per pass they were very vertical last year number three in passing yards per game it was fantastic from a passing standpoint and in a rushing standpoint too and they had a pretty good offensive line for the most part last year they just defensively couldn't put it together there and that's really what we're talking about with LSU Now new quarterback it looks like probably new weapons all over the place so what are we looking at with the 2024 LSU offense Christian we're looking at one of the best offensive lines in football um in college football at least um and so that is a good start right you lost uh Charles Turner from Center but you have probably the best tackle duo in college football you've got two really really good guards and Miles Frasier and Garrett delinger um so that's a good start right especially when you don't have the Jaden Daniels running aspect in this offense anymore because when we talk about Garrett NM very much so a pocket quarterback um he's athletic but um he he prefers to sit in the pocket and throw the ball this offensive line is going to set him up to do that the weapons are a bit more of a question mark Caleb Jackson at at running back Josh Williams is still there um John emry Jr somehow still there but Caleb jacksson is is the the prize of that running back room I think by the end of the year he's getting the the lon share of carries there Aaron Anderson is one of those guys where I think we haven't seen a lot from him but he's got so much talent um as a recruit he had a ton of talent one of those underrated guys that I think people have slightly forgotten about um probably LSU fans have not but just the large scope I think a lot of people have Kiren Lacy had some really good film last year the the stats aren't gonna suggest that he's a good player uh but we don't we we like stats here but not that much um and then CJ Daniels coming in I think is a really good get uh so this Mason Taylor's a good tight end like they they have weapons it's not even close to what they had last year but I think probably you're taking a step down in quarterback play either way I think J Daniels was absolutely phenomenal last year but nus is a very good quarterback I know Andy at our channel has him as his quarterback one in next year's class I have him up at qb4 so this kid could be a first round NFL draft pick um he's got the protection for it we'll see if he has the weapons yeah I mean it comes down to Garrett really like when you're looking at nesm what can he do in this offense like and coaching staff talk about him they talk about him being a better passer actually like and they said hey he's a kind of a more pocket passer better passer at times that they like to see it the big thing for them that they want to see from nus me that they mentioned was his just hey don't take the risk that you don't need the unnecessary risk kind of like the YOLO ball stuff that's part of that that's going to be there but they've waited for him and I'm glad you brought up Mason Taylor Mason Taylor could be one of the best tight ends in the country this year I mean Mason Taylor has that Talent he has that upside and my boy Aaron Anderson come on Aaron Anderson we got we we gotta do something for me and there he could be their big playmaker like Aaron Anderson could do that I thought he was going to do that last year but I think Brian Thomas Jr and Malik kind of just took that over in that room and you kind of saw that but Aaron's getting slept on a little bit I do think from that slot position he can kind of take over there now when we're talking about notable losses I mean the Notable Losses big ones Jaden Daniels we know that I mean that's huge losing the Heisman winner and everything there Malik neighbors and Brian Thomas Jr both firstr talents right and Brian Thomas junor was someone when I did the LSU reading the room wide receiver room last year I did say hey this kid could definitely pop off he's of those players that you should watch in that room and he did he he he bounced back and he had that um Z her Jaylen Brown kind of left but those aren't necessarily notable notable losses it's really the big three and how they replace those guys and it really comes down to like you know nus me stepping up but also Kiren Lacy he's got a lot a lot of Buzz out there older prospect there I mean he's he's really to make this offense go I think that they're gonna they're kind of relying on him to have a huge year this year and I don't know if he's got that in his bag I'm not sure I don't know if I'm buying the Kyer Lacy like buzz where he can replace that but I guess it's just gonna have to be a collective hole of all those guys in that room yeah you know we'll talk about the the transfers here shortly but CJ Daniels is a name that I just you know when you watch the film there's a reason he was one of the higher rated wide receiver transfers in the country it's just a very good player uh they also brought in zavon Thomas so if Lacy isn't it maybe this committee uh can provide something similar but it's just it's it's really really tough to replace what neighbors and Thomas gave you they're their top 23 picks or whatever I I don't remember where Thomas was selected but just an insanely talented wide receiver room last year we'll see if people step up I think Mason Taylor's gonna have to be more involved and and I think they're gonna have to rely on the running game just a little bit more this year yeah no 100% I think that they are gonna have to lean on that which is something that they running back room they've been searching for that for a while like when you're thinking of like where they've been searching for that they've been searching for that for a long time trying to find that consistency in there and then when you look at the recruiting class they've done a really good job 2024 Offensive Recruits 2024 recruits when you look at that number nine overall number seven composite rank um and you have to like that there um overall they got some defensive guys but con Eckles is there you know interior offensive lineman 62 315 number five rated offensive lineman Colin Hurley as well um very not not like top 10 guys especially on the offensive side but just kind of filler guys when you're looking at kind of how they brought in they have a lot of in early enrol Le uh from like you know that first group there but there second guys guys that haven't been on the on campus yet tryes green number two tied in out there right 6622 killan B um bot from Louisiana I definitely just messed up that I am sorry Louisiana fans 6288 uh galani Watkins those guys that aren't on there yet Kaden Durham is another one number six rer running back when they get on the the campus and they're out there and we're talking about them now in you know Late July August they could really start making a name for themselves yeah tight end is a really tough position for freshman to uh kind of give an impact as as as a freshman at least but Trey as green looks every bit a player that can do that especially when you're searching for someone to step up as a receiver if you know the players that we mentioned in the wide receiver room and maybe Mason Taylor goes down I wouldn't be shocked if treyes green kind of takes the uh the conference by storm a little bit because he does have a receiving skill set that could lend itself to early production the blocking isn't quite there in my opinion um it normally isn't with high school kids though so you know hopefully he's a quick learner on that front maybe they use him creatively which they've been known to do with their tight ends at times so this is a a fantastic class it's kind of a um you know I I wouldn't say it's a topheavy class because I think they lived in that like like you said like that 10 to 25 to 30 range as far as like positional rankings go but uh you know Brian Kelly recruits and his one main thing that he does really really well and LSU obviously does as well but good class I'm I'm into it I like it yeah and I mean the interesting one Michael Turner's down there and you know I didn't really mention him too much but when you looking at him 61 150 so he's smaller on the side but he's number nine rated a position player at the wide receiver position like he got guys there and Weston Davis offensive tackle 65275 big boy like they've done a good job of that um defensively they really crushed that there but I think a name is Kaden Durham's a name I think he's a name that you gotta know from Texas out there um I think that they again they've just been looking for that running back right we hope it's Caleb Jackson it's that but like that's really where they've struggled with they've tried to address in the transfer portal they kind of missed there um they tried to kind of have that guy like Noah kanaine for example um John em Jr just hasn't stepped up so really maybe Kaden Durham's that guy too now 59 195 big kid there um from a transfer status all that Key Offensive Transfers you talk about CJ Daniels they didn't really do a ton in the transfer portal they were ranked 41 they didn't address their needs there on offense or defense there wasn't a lot of guys really it's those guys AJ Swan's coming over from Vanderbilt um zavon Thomas is really kind of someone coming over there from Mississippi State you know he came in as a four- star to Mississippi State now he's a three star um but I know you like CJ Daniels coming over from Liberty yeah just really good film I think he gives this offense you know a little bit of the juice that they're losing right I think that that could be one of their their stop gaps as you know some of these younger wide receivers do take shape um like I said I hope it's Aaron Anderson but if not I think Daniels has the experience and and the wherewithal to be a productive player out there AJ Swan's an interesting one because he was highly coveted um you know I watched the film and it's like fine yeah like good backup it was similar to like the will Howard transfer right but like Swan had teams that wanted him um and and a lot of like I'm pretty sure there was a time when Ohio state was in on AJ Swan and so when you start to talk about that maybe that succession plan is looking a little bit better they know that they probably only have nus Meer for a year they got Swan to come in and probably play next year as some of their younger guys get ready but um it's an interesting one or transfer class because it's just really light uh in a world where transfer classes are normally a lot bigger than this yeah and that's that's I think the thing that stood out to me like man they only got they didn't really go after some guys here I mean they they got some pieces but nothing like a big group of guys maybe that just tells you I mean one thing that I think it does tell you is that they they really feel like their line could be a strength because they didn't really go after off interior offensive lineman or lineman and they kind of like hey yeah we got the guys there which they do I think the biggest question mark is probably the r your freshman DJ Chester probably right like that's probably the guy that's a Bigg question mark but they probably have enough faith in him there and when you Impact Players - Offense look at impact players Garett nm's the guy right I think really this team lives or dies by Garren esm in the SEC I mean he could he could realistically be a top three quarterback in the CL or in the SEC like he could be that guy that you're like hey yeah he can go Beck Nico those guys out there like hey Garrett's the guy jayen mroe kind of in the top four um and really going there but you know it's really going to come down to does he make the right decisions does he does he play Within the offense how does that look there um we know Brian Kelly is not the most uh lenient coach when it comes to mistakes he can get a little fired up if you ever watched him Coach there so I think you know how short is that lease gonna be will they let him open it up a little bit in that offense or they gonna kind of um just kind of you know make him hand it off to Caleb Jackson kind of do those little things there and I still think Mason Taylor to me is could be an impact player for this team and give nus Meer that outlet that guy to kind of rely on third down those typee of things yeah like you said everything starts and ends with nus Meer he loves to throw that deep ball and he'll throw it up and and let his guys win unfortunately I'm not certain that they have the guys that are going to consistently win so I think if he reigns it in we've seen him have just really good quick game um one of the the best parts about his game is mechanically he is very sound I'd like to see him add a little bit more zip a little more arm strength um as far as that goes but from a a draft perspective like he has as good a shot as any of these other guys to to become a first round pick if this LSU offense can kind of look similar to what it did last year and I think the scheme's certainly going to help that out but yeah everything starts and ends with him hoping that he takes that that step and you know I mean I say step but we really haven't seen a whole lot from him so just getting to see him on the field a little bit more is going to be exciting for for the LSU fans yeah 100% 2024 Defensive Breakdown all right let's jump over to the defense and we're looking at the defense here this is where they struggled opponents uh points per game last year from their opponents they were at 86 they almost 30 points given up there um opponent yards per game they were 110th in the nation last year they gave up 424 yards a game um and that's really you know Russian defense they were okay but they weren't great I mean they were you know 51 for opponent rushing play percentage opponent yards per Rush they're 84 so they didn't really do there but really that pass defense man opponent completion percentage 117th in the nation 83rd an opponent pass play percentage 87th an opponent passes per game because opponents just threw it all over them um looking at opponent interceptions thrown only 89th right so they did not get takeaways they did not do well there even for an LSU team that usually comes after the quarterback sack percentage was at 45 uh in the country last year 45th in the country excuse me 7% so this defense struggled I mean that is really that pass defense definitely struggled there and they were a break not just a bin defense they were a break defense and that's really why you saw them lose those games that they lost yeah it was it was not good last year and the interesting part about that is they actually lost a ton of dudes that played a lot of snaps to the NFL the NFL was still like yeah these guys are talented it just you know it never came to fruition I think their whole um you know Jacobian gillery I think he's gonna be one of those guys that he played quite a few snaps last year you know he played in 13 games but he was certainly not one of their top three def interior defensive linemen um and so I'm curious to see how he takes a step forward as you know he gets more more of a prominent role Harold Perkins Jr is the the Cog that makes this go um and he was pretty rough last year they played him out of position I think that that was intentional but now he's moving back to a more natural position where he can play linebacker pretty consistently he's not just uh you know playing that edge rusher role he was okay in it there were times where he was good in it uh but you kind of took your best defensive piece and just put him in a spot where he can't be as impactful I think now they're correct that that's going to be a little bit better major Burns is a piece I'm I'm intrigued by there was he played a ton of snaps last year uh he actually led the team in snaps really good tackler um had a ton of tackles last year I think that between Perkins and burns taking steps forward I think this defense can be a little bit better than last year but it's really tough it's really tough to project because they lost so much from that defensive front seven that I'm not certain about that call right there yeah I mean look Notable Losses at what they lost I mean we time about Smith and while Mason kind of had a down year last year when you're looking at him like you know 28 tackles um two and a half sacks he still was very good Wingo though Wingo was one of those guys that were supposed to be better four and a half sacks but again kind of I don't know it's just weird I know he only played eight games last year but just didn't really step up right Jordan Jefferson same thing he had two and a half sacks the 36 tackles um Denver Harris as well is another guy that left um and then you're looking at Quincy Wiggins Jackson Howard and some of those guys interesting right like Denver Harris he was okay yeah two pass deflections there so like you said they did lose guys this defense just wasn't clicking for whatever reason why it wasn't clicking it was just not clicking for these guys inside but they did lose a lot of their front seven yeah so and then that's I mean the bottom line is they're going to need to find that type of production because while those guys had disappointing years I think from LSU fans perspective from National perspective as well they were still some of the best defensive linemen in the country uh when you look at it did they get drafted if we check that box yes then LSU probably has a problem I do think that maybe there's some some jelling issues and hopefully that that like all of these departures can can remedy that a little bit but I'm I'm interested you know I'm I I said before we started recording I've never seen an LSU team like that where the offense was blowing people out of the waters and the defense couldn't keep up that's not the LSU brand of football and not the Brian Kelly brand of football either so I think we're going to come back to the middle a little bit I think that defense is going to be a little bit more Bend uh a little less break and and hopefully that'll allow that the the discrepancy in the offense coming down just a little bit from a Heisman winning quarterback maybe they bridge that Gap and maybe they're a better team for it yeah and Kelly this it this isn't on so much on Kelly his his teams usually are solid that defensive side like that's the teams that got to the you know the national title uh Matt Notre Dam like those guys they able to get in the playoff those type of things that was a defensive side there now they still they still cleaned up in recruiting boys on 2024 Defensive Recruits the on the defensive side and as you can see here um really really did a great job deshaan McBride when you're looking at him the safety 62 315 um Dominick McKinley number five rated defensive lineman 65280 could those two guys could get some playing time like those guys could be out there very quickly tyon Singleton as well I'm just going through the list you can see kind of what they did very topheavy there um Gabriel re for as well when you're looking at what he can do on the field um you really like what he can do as an edge but those two top guys even Ty and Singleton as well um McBride and Singleton are there already so they're already there early in r e that's something that you like to see there um but Singleton's probably got to put some weight on uh a lot of the some of these guys do need to put some weight on Devon Keys is another one he's already got 222 5'11 so he's more ready to go um but solid solid recruiting on the on the defensive side here yeah CJ Jackson that three star kid at the very bottom down there like 65 225 probably needs to put a little bit of weight on but you know I think that's a player that could be a little more ready to go than even some of the other you know higher recruited guys 16 players on this list I think that's the the main takeaway is they saw the problem and they went out and got high school players to hopefully fix the problem and I do think you're right I think McKinley McBride I think one of the linebackers could get some playing time especially like we said with what what we had last year it's really really tough to Envision uh all of these returners and and some of these transfers keeping these guys off the field so this could be an impactful class I think two years from now we're going to look back and say that was when they wred the ship a little bit um but yeah topheavy class but depth is good too they need depth we saw that last year so yeah Jan Johnson down there at the bottom quarterback 511 188 19 rated Prospect like he comes in he's a he's a fun one out of there Lafayette Louisiana he's a guy also that kind of keep your eye on there um from the transfers again Key Defensive Transfers like we talked about they didn't really address it too much a little bit on the defens side giop you know when you're looking at him from Wisconsin he was a big kid they and they expect a little bit at the defensive line he's actually a higher rated transfer than he was as a recruit so he got a little bit better there Austin Osberry coming over from Auburn safety position Jordan Gilbert you know coming from A&M he was a big G for A&M uh now he's coming over as a fourstar you know when you're looking at him kind of playing both roles safety is Corner um Jer Brown as well when you talk about him from Ohio State he was a little bit higher recruit but coming over from Ohio State that's one thing they kind of note there and in Suggs too I mean they did a good job of getting him um coming over here three star kids 63 282 so they did get some pieces on the defensive side and they filled needs yeah Gilbert and brown are the the prizes here in my opinion um I think Brown is way more talented than than what we saw at Ohio State uh Gilbert uh coming in as a a highly touted recruit but an even higher touted transfer is is significant to me I I think that he can come in and and kind of be a little bit of a leveler on the back end of that secondary U but overall this is a a pretty good class you supplemented the really great recruiting class well but when you you know you start to talk about that that's 21 new players on this defense um and so that's that's huge uh especially with the state of that defense last year yeah and when you talk about impact players I think the one Impact Players - Defense thing we we we mention we should have mentioned at the beginning anyway he fired Matt house the defensive coordinator and all the assistants he cleaned house and he looked at it and now it's Blake Baker right formerly at Missouri he's got something to go there so now you're talking about growing pains maybe a little bit early like when you're look at that like how they're going to go but they got a whole new system in there because they realized they needed that the guys on here I mean Herod Perkins Jr to me is like hey how is he gonna do at his position you know how are they going to use him is Baker gonna move him back into you know what is that gonna look like where is he gonna line up Greg Pinn is another one I think there's an interesting one there 89 tackles last year could be that guy that's alongside her um Harold Perkins kind of that's guy zavon Jones I know that they are looking for that middle kind of like that hey that lineman how do they look there um you talked about jacobe and gilo as well they got to shine they got to really step up for this defense there and in major Burns I think is interesting as well um he had 93 tackles at the star position so that's one of those guys to also watch yeah like I said I like brins and Perkins the most from this list but it's an interesting state of LSC football because normally when you try to put impact players on the LSC football list you uh because there's so many and this year I think we're struggling because we were kind of scraping the bottom of the barrel for guys that we think can be super impactful for them so um I hope that that's not the case following this year I do think that this is going to be an iffy year for that defense as you know I think cleaning house was the right move um I I just think it might take a second uh like you said some Growing Pains early but uh hopefully Perkins back in his natural position and burns flying all over the field as that star I think that that that's a step in the right direction from last year yeah yeah I mean and you know what even though they have all those changes in the defense whatever nine and a half 2024 Schedule wins was their was their big game like nine and a half is kind of where they're at in the schedule uh big game at UFC that's in Las Vegas first week of the Season probably one of the biggest games um of there little SEC Big 10 Showdown we get to say that now with USC going over to the Big 10 uh Nicholls South at South Carolina versus UCLA versus South Alabama versus Old Miss the schedule's not the schedule lines up pretty nice for them at Arkansas at T and versus Alabama is a tough little stretch there Florida vanderbelt and Oklahoma so back into the schedule is a little tougher they got to do better at the beginning I think they got to really come out hot which puts them in some pressure especially with that defense and all the change and the turnover that we just mentioned there uh what stands out with their schedule and where you at and their over under in terms of where you taken I think they go five and0 to start the year yeah uh I think getting old Miss at home is critical um I think getting Alabama at home is important I also think that there's a chance that they lose that Miss game in that Alabama game if only because I think those are two offenses that should be able to put up points I think at Texas A&M I would chalk that up as a loss at this point uh I think at Florida's always going to be a tough one uh especially with the experience going on over at Florida but by the end of the season Florida might be in a in shambles uh for all we know that's kind of the state of that program it's very uhh thin thin level of uh margin for error over there but then finishing the season against Oklahoma is one of those where I think we're maybe sitting at nine wins there and we're going for 10 and that could be the the decider and I'm leaning the under for LSU yeah I'm going under too so I'm with you I think I'm at under right now because I think that there's some uncertainty that defense I think their schedule is tough and the way I look at it it can come apart quick they lose a couple games they're not supposed to I think it kind of tumble a little bit and I think we got to start seriously talking about Brian Kelly a little bit I think that we gota he you know is he made out for LS I mean they brought him in to go he beat Alabama so they did beat Alabama but it's one of those things they brought him in and they got to go compete for SEC titles like that's the biggest thing there um and so from an Outlook perspective when I'm talking about LSU I I do think that they're they Outro - Overall Outlook got blue chip guys and they're building there it's just what is their identity right I think the biggest thing is I think it's huge for that new defensive coordinator to come in there how do they build that identity for LSU and in Brian Kelly can you write the ship and really it comes with that quarterback play I mean if nus me's your guy okay fine um but you got to really get that defense in two now because you lost Jaden danis you lost Malik neighbors you lost Brian Thomas J you lost guys that offensively was putting up the most points in the NCA and you couldn't win with that I mean you won but you couldn't win the the games that mattered and now that you lost that I think that's identity that's a Brian Kelly he's got to figure this out and that's on him um and I think that they're in a weird position I think LSU is at a weird position where it they should be doing better I mean with with the board now at Alabama sabin's gone right and it's like hey this could be the Seb you could be the number two team in that in that conference and really go for it and I think there's too many question marks for a guy going in his third year at LSU yeah and I think it comes down to I hate saying it this way but I think they got lucky with jayen Daniels um I think he developed in a way that some people saw but not a lot of people saw not a lot of people saw a Heisman winning quarterback at least and so even getting lucky that wasn't good enough now you're hoping that your internal development with nus Meer is good enough but then after that you're still going to need a quarterback to come in and be the guy I think they recruit well enough where they can hang their hat on on that side of it uh but going and getting Swan is one of those where it's like are they confident in this group moving forward and and what is the state of that are they trying to maybe hit on A A Jaden Daniels es type transfer I'm not sure I do think it's a weird state where I think you're right if if this is a nine win team Brian Kelly will probably get another year or two but I wouldn't be shocked if if they choose to move on they've moved on from what I would say are better head coaches you know for for less than that so um weird state for LSU I think this is a good football team I think they're going to score a lot of points I think they're going to give up a lot of points still um and and so I think it's going to be pretty tough to to get to the college football playoff this year oh yeah no I think so too but LSU fans tell us why you're why we're wrong what do you think here drop it in the chat do you think your defense can really take over do you think see that next hit from NES Meer how how are you with Brian Kelly how do you feel about about him moving forward as your head coach he's recruiting well he's got the recruits in there but can he put that product on the field so let us know we appreciate you guys watching we'll catch you on the next one [Music]