LSU Football Introduces No. 1 Transfer Portal Class, Newcomers Ahead of Spring Work

The Tigers will have double-digit transfers in for spring ball, 13 early-enrollees from the 2025 Signing Class in town.

Sep 21, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly looks on during the first half against the UCLA Bruins at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers welcomed double-digit newcomers last weekend after seeing players from both the Transfer Portal Class and 2025 Signing Class arrive in Baton Rouge.

Kelly and Co. hold the No. 1 portal class in America with members of the haul making their way to The Boot over the weekend.

Along with the transfers arriving in town, the LSU program welcomed 13 early-enrollees to Baton Rouge where the true freshmen will be with the Tigers for Spring Camp.

The advantage of enrolling early is a critical one for the development of the youngsters with the Bayou Bengals bringing in 13 signees to town.

"Guys made incredible improvements," Kelly said back November. "We actually have a way of looking at that data instead of saying 'oh he looks stronger.' We have data that will allow us to say your peak numbers are down and let's look at the reasons why. Is this effort? Is it injury?"

"We're pretty exhaustive in the sports science division, we think we send a really good message and a trend that we have that data and build our football team on."

Now, LSU has welcomed over 20 new members of the 2025 roster to Baton Rouge with the newcomers being introduced on Tuesday at the LSU versus Arkansas men's basketball game.

Big win for @LSUBasketball in the PMAC! Thanks for welcoming all of our new guys 🤝 pic.twitter.com/ANWpiX4M8K

— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) January 15, 2025

Who moved to campus last weekend? Which fresh faces will take part in Spring Camp with the program in March?

The Early-Enrollees:

DJ Pickett: No. 1 Cornerback in America

LSU was in dire need of a young, impactful cornerback to make his way to Baton Rouge in the 2025 Recruiting Class with Corey Raymond spearheading the push.

Now, he's landed his "big fish" with DJ Pickett joining the program.

Pickett, the Tigers' top-ranked signee in the 2025 Recruiting Class, chose LSU over Miami, Oregon and Georgia during his recruitment process.

It was a battle down the stretch in order to secure the coveted prospect. A player with the top programs in the country battling for his services, LSU proved they were willing to do anything in their power to lock him down and get him to campus.

Kelly has raved about the youngster and what he's set to provide the program moving forward. He projects as a player that will make an instant impact for the Tigers.

"Watching a guy on film move that way (with his height) was what really surprised me about him," Kelly said on National Signing Day. "I don't even know if it's an argument. We believe he's hands-down the best corner in the country.

"I don't know that I've ever felt that there is a lockdown corner, but he's about as close as there is to a lockdown corner in the country. And his offensive film might be as good, if not better."

Now, 6-foot-4, 180-pound defensive back has arrived in Baton Rouge after making his way to campus as an early-enrollee in December.

Pickett took the field with the Tigers for the first time last month where he participated in bowl preparation with the program.

Pickett was a full participant during Texas Bowl practice leading up to the New Year's Eve clash.

Though Pickett could practice with the team and get accustomed to a college regime, he was be unable to play in LSU's Dec. 31 Texas Bowl showdown against the Baylor Bears. Early-enrollees are ineligible for bowl games with their current squads.

Harlem Berry: No. 1 Running Back in America

Metairie (La.) St. Martin's Episcopal five-star running back Harlem Berry is Baton Rouge bound after putting pen to paper with the LSU Tigers on National Signing Day.

Berry, the No. 1 running back in America, committed to Brian Kelly and the program on Jan. 3 while remaining loyal to his pledge until the end.

He's a player that jumps off the page when looking at the numbers. Berry is one of the most decorated athletes in Louisiana history and heads to LSU as the highest-rated running back in the state since Leonard Fournette.

On Signing Day, the superlatives came rolling in for Berry with analysts simply calling him a "human highlight reel" or the "human joystick" with the way he bounces off of defenders and remains upright.

Now, the "human joystick" will prepare to be in Baton Rouge this spring where he will take part in LSU's spring camp. Berry will be an early-enrollee alongside double-digit 2025 signees. He already joined the program in Houston for Texas Bowl preparation last month.

"Before I even made the decision, I knew where I wanted to go," Berry said on Signing Day, "and once I made it, I was locked in. Nothing was going to change my mind."

Berry has proven to be big on loyalty and relationships, which paved the way for the five-star to put pen to paper with the Tigers in early December.

"I built a great relationship with (LSU running backs coach Frank Wilson)," Berry said. "All the other coaches at the other universities, I felt that they could get me where I needed to get. But it was just that connection I had with coach Frank. It was more than just football."

Carius Curne: No. 2 Interior Offensive Lineman in America

Marion (Ark.) four-star offensive lineman Carius Curne revealed a commitment to Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers in June after flipping his commitment from the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Curne, the No. 2 rated interior offensive lineman in America, backed off of his pledge to the hometown Razorbacks before joining LSU's 2025 class.

The 6-foot-4, 320-pounder has tremendous upside with Kelly and Co. adding a player who has immediate impact written all over him.

Curne ultimately put pen to paper with the LSU program on Dec. 4 during the Early Signing Period where he made things official with the Bayou Bengals.

It's no secret LSU's interior offensive line was an issue in 2024 with the rushing attack struggling due to a lack of push in the trenches, but reinforcements are on the way.

For the Tigers, they'll now get a better look at Curne sooner rather than later. The coveted offensive lineman confirmed with LSU Tigers On SI that he will enroll in January and be with the program for spring camp as an early-enrollee.

With Curne now in the mix, it gives LSU a prospect who can step in on day one and help the program for the foreseeable future.

The Full List of Early-Enrollees:

- DJ Pickett: No. 1 CB in America
- Harlem Berry: No. 1 RB in America
- Carius Curne: No. 4 IOL in America
- Charles Ross: No. 2 LB in America
- Solomon Thomas: No. 2 IOL in America
- Damien Shanklin: 4-Star EDGE
- TaRon Francis: No. 1 WR in Louisiana
- JD LaFleur: No. 1 Tight End in Louisiana
- Zion Williams: 4-Star DL
- Tyler Miller: 4-Star OL
- Brandon Brown: 3-Star DL
- Dilan Battle: 3-Star DL
- Brett Bordelon: 3-Star OL

The LSU Transfer Portal Class:

The Tigers welcomed double-digit Transfer Portal signees to campus last weekend headlined by Mansoor Delane, Patrick Payton and Nic Anderson. LSU will see all of their signees on campus by the start of Spring Camp in March.

The Additions on Offense (8):
- TE Bauer Sharp: Oklahoma
- WR Barion Brown: Kentucky
- QB Michael Van Buren: Mississippi State
- WR Destyn Hill: Florida State
- WR Nic Anderson: Oklahoma
- OL Braelin Moore: Virginia Tech
- OL Josh Thompson: Northwestern
- TE Donovan Green: Texas A&M

The Additions on Defense (7):
- CB Ja'Keem Jackson: Florida
- EDGE Jimari Butler: Nebraska
- EDGE Jack Pyburn: Florida
- CB Mansoor Delane: Virginia Tech
- DL Sydir Mitchell: Texas
- EDGE Patrick Payton: Florida State
- S Tamarcus Cooley: North Carolina State

The Special Teams Additions (1):
Punter Grant Chadwick: Middle Tennessee

More LSU News:

LSU Adds Commitments From Seven Top-100 Transfers in the Portal

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.