The LSU Tigers have a big concern heading into the 2024 college football season, and that is depth on the defensive line. With the exit of 2023 star defensive linemen, Maason Smith and Mekhi Wingo, it was assumed that the Tigers would heavily target some prospects in the 2024 transfer portal. And they tried but did not land one.
One of the main targets in the spring transfer portal was defensive tackle Damonic Williams. Williams spent his first two seasons at TCU totaling 60 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Unfortunately, despite a visit to LSU, Williams committed recently to the Oklahoma Sooners to play for the defensive minded Brent Venables.
Williams was considered the premier target defensive tackle in the spring transfer portal. Despite LSU bringing over defensive line coach Bo Davis from the Texas Longhorns, without the talent on the field, it may not matter who Davis is coaching up as without elite talent on the interior of the defensive line in the SEC, it will be tough sledding for Brian Kelly and the Tigers.
Kelly recently made headlines telling WAFB-TV Sports that “we’re not going to go out and buy players.”
While this was only a small excerpt from the entire interview, the fact remains that Kelly and the Tigers are without depth at the defensive tackle position. Kelly’s lack of attention to the recruitment on the position out of the high school ranks and fall transfer portal is a sign of his lack of planning to move the Tigers forward and could cost them dearly in the upcoming 2024 season.
The Tigers have gone so far down the line to get talent at the position that they are currently pursuing Division II defensive tackle transfer, Jay’Viar Suggs from Grand Valley State University. Suggs has appeared in 22 games over the last two seasons with 42 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles.
Suggs has recently taken a visit to Baton Rouge and included the Tigers in his list of final four schools, but the fact remains that at the end of the day this is a division II product. And division II is a far cry from the SEC.