LSU Football Running Back Not Entering Transfer Portal, Remaining with the Tigers

LSU running back Kaleb Jackson will return to Baton Rouge for the 2025 season, he revealed to reporters on Thursday following Spring Camp practice.

Jackson, who's set to enter his third season with the Tigers, has served as the backup running back behind Caden Durham during spring ball.

The 6-foot, 235-pounder has been a player to keep tabs on during the offseason with the NCAA Transfer Portal remaining an option to monitor.

With the winter window passing, Jackson elected to remain in Baton Rouge to work through Spring Camp.

Now, with the program's 15-plus practice Spring Camp in the rearview mirror, Jackson will remain with the program.

Was asked directly about the transfer portal:

“No I’m not going in.”

He’s been getting plenty of first and second team reps this spring.

Said he’s way strong mentally than he was last year. https://t.co/FoPXVzz3Zr
— Glen West (@glenwest21) April 17, 2025

Jackson was definitive in stating that he will be back with the program for his junior campaign while also looking to shed off few pounds.

In 2024, the sophomore totaled 147 yards on 41 carries on the season with 3.6 yards per carry. He logged zero touchdowns on the year.

Now, he'll look to get back to his old ways in 2025 while splitting reps alongside sophomore Caden Durham.

The LSU running back room has multiple talented pieces to work with in 2025 with Jackson and Durham working alongside true freshman Harlem Berry.

The Louisiana native has operated behind Durham and Jackson during spring practice, but it hasn't stopped him from showing flashes of what's to come.

"He's a natural runner of the football. He sees things that you just don't coach and the great backs just have that natural, uncanny ability to see things on the move and you just let it go. He's got to be coached on protections," Kelly said last Saturday.

"He's got to be coached on scheme. He's got to be coached on how to eat. He's got to be coached on some other things and we're doing it and he's very receptive to that. I didn't mean to imply otherwise, but he's a natural runner of the football and he's really good.

"I think he lives up to the billing of the best running back in the country because of his just natural instincts that he has as a running back."

Berry has received lofty comparisons prior to heading to LSU with On3 Sports' Cody Bellaire believing he has similar traits to Reggie Bush.

"I remember watching Harlem Berry for the first time a couple of years ago and a name popped into my head immediately. I remember telling myself, 'you can't compare them, don't do that.' And yet, here we are... Who do I think is Harlem Berry's player comparison? Reggie Bush," On3 National Scout Cody Bellaire said via Twitter.

"First thing I did was look at the numbers. The athletic profiles are SHOCKINGLY similar. And if you look at Reggie Bush's pro day numbers and project where Harlem Berry COULD BE whenever his pro day comes after seeing his camp testing, the numbers are certainly attainable."

Of course, comparing Berry to one of the all-time greats at both the college ranks as well as NFL sets lofty expectations, but national scouts believe he has "limitless" potential.

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