FIRST 3 LSU PORTAL 🎯 TARGETS

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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

College football's transfer portal sweepstakes are already underway, picking up momentum each day ahead of January 2nd, when the transfer portal window officially opens....and first year LSU Head Coach Lane "The Portal Master" Kiffin will be heading into the fray armed with just under $40,000,000 in NIL cash, aiming to fix a Swiss cheese roster.

The main positions of need???

Kiffin will need to reel in 3 quarterbacks.

Re-tool his offensive line, potentially a complete or near complete overhaul from 2025, although a source on staff told LSUOdyssey the Tigers' new OL Coach Eric Wolford "really liked" some of the talent among LSU's 2025 offensive line (only two names given as examples: Tyree Adams & Solomon Thomas).

LSU will lose WRs Zaivion Thomas, Chris Hilton Jr, Barion Brown, Jelani Watkins, Kylan Billiot, and best of the bunch, Aaron Anderson to the NFL Draft, running out of eligibility, or the transfer portal.

Losing stud senior safety AJ Haulcy to the NFL Draft, Blake Baker's defense will definitely need to add another name or two at the safety spot, preferably a more robust, but versatile "evolved strong safety" in the mould of Haulcy, a player who reeled off plays at every level of the game...playing well in tandem with potential returning safeties Tamarcus Cooley or Dashawn Spears.

With Harold Perkins all but set for the NFL Draft, Blake Baker and Chris Kiffin will need to grab another defender capable of playing either star or linebacker, a player who possesses strong coverage instincts and production alongside rough & tumble front seven physicality.

LSU is losing plenty of defensive linemen and edge rushers, as well as possibly a few more around the corner through the portal.

Will Corey Raymond and Blake Baker pursue an elite corner in the portal? Or will they stick with DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland (5 INTs & 12 PBUs combined last season in rotation) as a starting tandem???

Well, based on information I've gathered, people I've spoken to, texts exchanged, and a profound, almost orgasmic sense of abundant possibility, here are our first 3 main portal targets LSU must pursue (excluding offensive line and a few other positions where the best players will make their intentions known soon):

DYLAN STEWART

(EDGE / DE ; SOUTH CAROLINA)

JUNIOR

(UPDATE: 12/23: STEWART ANNOUNCED HE IS STAYING AT SOUTH CAROLINA ON HIS OWN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT)

This guy is a no brainer...

Not only are the rumors swirling in full gust now that his coaching mentor and developer Sterling Lucas just arrived in Baton Rouge as the Tigers' new D-line Coach, the move makes sense for LSU and for Stewart.

Racking up 56 total tackles, 88 overall QB pressures, 22.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 3 PBUs, and 2 fumble recoveries over two electric seasons at South Carolina under Coach Lucas, Dylan Stewart is the kind of player who understands he can go to LSU a near 1st round pick and leave a bona fide top 5 selection, a National Champion, and an SEC Defensive Player of the Year....all while making even more cash than South Carolina can throw at him.

The fit is there, the choice is obvious, we just have to see what transpires over the coming days ahead.

TAWFIQ BYARD

(SAFETY; COLORADO)

RED SHIRT JUNIOR

Delivering 16 tackles for loss over his past 2 campaigns (8 in each season at USF and Colorado), Tawfiq Byard has the sturdy, hard hitting, strong tackling attributes LSU is about to lose with the departure of AJ Haulcy.

While Byard doesn't match Haulcy's elite ball skills and interception rate, Byard has shown elevated progress when targeted (2 INTs over the last 2 years & 4 PBUs last season alone isn't massive or earth shattering, but in combination with his elite backfield stuffing, his improvement in coverage shows versatility and promise, especially when covering LSU skill position talents.

I'm not surprised he appears once again on LSU's radar.

OMARION MILLER

(WIDE RECEIVER; COLORADO)

SENIOR

Entering his senior season after a fantastic 45 catches, 808 yards, 8 TDs and a Big 12-leading 18 yards per catch average, the one time LSU commit and North Caddo superstar endured three seasons in the wilderness until now....ranked as the #1 WR prospect of the 2026 portal class, according to 247 Sports.

Due to the Tigers desperately needing a complete overhaul of their 2025 WR corps, I'm excited there will be overtures towards Miller.

The kid deserves a second chance at playing for the purple and gold, the question now is: will he take it?

OTHER NAMES LSU IS EXPECTED TO PURSUE (PLAYERS NOT OFFICIALLY IN THE PORTAL AS OF TODAY)

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS, QB, OLE MISS

DEUCE ALEXANDER, WR, OLE MISS

KEWAN LACY, RB, OLE MISS

STAY TUNED FOR PT. II IN THIS SERIES!

By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

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