LSU Football Linebacker, Former Coveted Prospect Entering Transfer Portal

LSU true freshman linebacker Xavier Atkins will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after one season in Baton Rouge, 247 Sports' Matt Zenitz reported on Friday afternoon.

Atkins, a four-star linebacker and Louisiana native, will be a key name to watch once officially in the portal with several suitors set to line up for his services.

With LSU linebacker Harold Perkins going down with a torn ACL earlier in the season along with veteran West Weeks battling a lower-body injury, Brian Kelly turned to Atkins to take key snaps down the stretch.

It was true freshmen Atkins and Davhon Keys to take on bigger snaps than expected.

He played in seven games in 2024 where he logged three total tackles in his lone season with the Bayou Bengals.

Atkins is the second young defensive player set to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal once it opens on Dec. 9.

Kylin Jackson: Safety

LSU safety Kylin Jackson will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after two seasons in Baton Rouge, On3 Sports revealed on Thursday.

Jackson, a Louisiana native and former four-star prospect, will be a hot commodity in the portal market with immense potential.

In two seasons with the program, Jackson played in 17 games with the Tigers - primarily on special teams - while recording five total tackles.

He redshirted in his first season with the Tigers in 2023 while battling the injury bug, but will be a player programs are willing to take a "gamble" on.

Jackson signed with the LSU Tigers over Texas A&M and a myriad of other top programs out of high school.

He's the second local standout to announce his intentions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal on Thursday; joining former four-star wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr.

Jackson is the seventh member of the 2024 roster the enter the Transfer Portal to this point.

LSU has now seen eight (8) portal departures over the last six days:

- Rickie Collins: Redshirt-Freshman Quarterback
- Landon Ibieta: Redshirt-Sophomore Wide Receiver
- CJ Daniels: Senior Wide Receiver
- Jordan Allen: Redshirt-Sophomore Safety
- Da'Shawn Womack: Sophomore Defensive End
- Shelton Sampson: Redshirt-Freshman Wide Receiver
- Kylin Jackson: Redshirt-Freshman Safety
- Xavier Atkins: True Freshman Linebacker

Brian Kelly's Portal Thoughts:

“I think everybody that’s followed us knows that we weren’t very aggressive in the transfer portal,” he said. “We put together a defensive line using minimal resources. We’ve really put ourself in a position — and I’ll use this term loosely — to stay well under the cap so we could be quite aggressive this year and we will be very aggressive in that area as well as bringing in 16 mid-years.

“We think that the program in terms of the culture and the standards are such that we can do that now where we can bring in 16 freshmen and maybe, if not one of the largest transfer portal classes as well.”

More LSU News:

Paul Finebaum: LSU, Brian Kelly in a "Really Bad Spot" Moving Forward

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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