LSU fall camp is now underway, and there’s no shortage of storylines surrounding the action after two days of practice. From surprise standouts to player availability, each new emerging detail is significant. The Tigers are now only a month away from another blockbuster season opener. We pointed out a few developments that stood out after the first two days.
News From LSU Fall Camp
Darkhorse Receiver Option
Florida State transfer and New Orleans native Destyn Hill started his first fall camp at LSU with a bang. Hill’s career has been marred by injuries to this point. Now a redshirt sophomore, he’s hoping to show the talent that made him such a coveted high school prospect. He made several spectacular plays while proving the LSU receiver room is even deeper than we thought. Brian Kelly spoke in the room in the post-practice presser.
“We’re too deep. In a swing, maybe two swings in terms of eight receivers. We have eight SEC high-caliber receivers. These guys are really good football players. And so it’s incumbent upon us to put them in a position to succeed for themselves and for our team,” said Kelly.
Hill has also added weight to his once-thin frame to improve his strength and durability. Speaking of former Edna Karr standouts, true freshman Taron Francis also had a very impressive catch on the first day. Leading returning receiver Aaron Anderson was absent on the second day of practice, so Kentucky transfer Barion Brown moved up to the first team. Chris Hilton and Zavion Thomas rounded out the group of first-team receivers.
Offensive Line Takes Shape
It’s no secret that LSU will depend on transfer offensive linemen for success in 2025, but we didn’t see the additions run with the first team offense in Spring camp. The line now appears to be set with Virginia Tech transfer Braelin Moore taking the starting center spot with Northwestern transfer Josh Thompson at right guard.
The starting line now starts with returner Tyree Adams at left tackle, DJ Chester at left guard, Moore at center, Thompson at right guard, and Weston Davis at right tackle. The urgency of the schedule adds to the importance of establishing starters up front. Now, the group can have more time to work together to become a unit while building depth behind them.
In the not-so-great news, true freshman Solomon Thomas will be out for a month with a foot injury. Thomas is one of two true freshmen offensive linemen who were expected to have an opportunity to contribute this year. The other, Carius Curne, is already running with the second team at left tackle.
Dynamic Duo Returns
Both Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins ended their 2024 seasons with significant injuries. They’re now back and at least appear to be fully healthy. Perkins looked quick in drills while sporting the coveted number “seven” jersey, worn by former LSU greats like Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu. Kelly emphasized the importance of the two leaders’ presence.
“The temperature is a little bit different when those two guys are in the room. People talk about missing somebody; it’s hard to replace great players, but it’s even harder to replace great leaders. And those guys lead by example and make a huge difference,” stated Kelly.
Weeks will enter the season more confident than he was last year when he was a rotational player. He’s now an established leader after a breakout season. Of course, Perkins is now at the star position. His usage will be a topic of speculation until he’s able to impact games the way he did as a freshman. But the first step to meeting expectations is staying healthy.
Main Image: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
