LSU Football Spring Camp Intel: This Position Group Drawing Buzz From Lane Kiffin

Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers reconstructed the roster this offseason via the NCAA Transfer Portal with over 40 additions signing with the program through the free agent market.

In what became the storyline of the offseason, Kiffin and the coaching staff in Baton Rouge continued attacking the portal - signing nine Top-100 prospects available.

But Kiffin and Co. also found "sleeper" players in the market.

That includes Wisconsin Badgers running back Dilin Jones where he signed with LSU as the No. 989 overall transfer in the market and the No. 74 prospect at his position.

The 5-foot-11, 211-pound running back out of Maryland spent two seasons with the Badgers where he carved out an integral role in Madison (Wisc.), but a foot injury halted his productive 2025 season.

Jones emerged as the starting running back for the Badgers for the first 7 games of the season last fall before a turf toe injury cut his season short.

In 10 games over two years at Wisconsin, Jones rushed for 388 yards and 2 touchdowns on 88 carries. In seven starts across the 2025 season, Jones rushed for 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 76 carries.

#LSU inked Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones via the Transfer Portal this offseason.

Now, the first-year Tiger continues taking reps with the first-team amid a quick rise.

“Playing under Lane Kiffin - I don’t think nobody wants to pass that up… It was a no brainer. Why not LSU?” pic.twitter.com/YjsXh8eZyK
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) April 16, 2026

But Jones has quickly rounded out Fall Camp as "arguably" RB1 in Baton Rouge where he's taken a majority of first-team reps over both Harlem Berry and Caden Durham.

"Yeah. It's a good observation. He looks really good. Has come in and been good in protection, been good in his vision, his feet, running the ball, and has been really a bright spot. Like I said, offensively, we've struggled to find those and again the tackling part is a difference in that position specifically," Kiffin said of Jones.

"For a guy that wasn't a headliner, he's played like it. And that's really critical because that spot, it's extremely critical to have somebody or a number of people that, again, just like the quarterback spot, makes the plays when everybody's not blocked up and makes the significant plays. He's done that."

LSU will utilize a stable of backs headlined by Jones, Berry, and Durham, but it's clear the Wisconsin transfer is ready to continue making noise after a strong offseason.

Jones Weighs In: Offseason Work

"I really just had to keep my head down and grind. I mean, at Wisconsin, I only played a couple of games, ended up getting injured. I feel like I really had to keep my head down because they believed in me," Jones said on Thursday.

"I didn't get to finish out the season. They still gave me a chance to come in here and do what I had to do. I really owe it to them."

Jones feels he can thrive in a Lane Kiffin led offense where the tempo offense benefits his style of play.

LSU Tigers Football: Dilin Jones. — Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

"I feel like I can do it all. It's a tempo offense, so having to do a lot of substitutions will slow it down. I feel like I can stay in all four downs. I can pick up the blocks. I can run the ball. I can catch out the backfield. I just feel like my speed is also there," Jones said.

"I say all of us are good [runners], but it's only one football. I do think we're going to rotate and have a good rotation going, but there's only so many people that can play. Conversation is great. We are all out there. We compete. We still come into meetings. We still sit there and talk with each other, but we just push each other."

More LSU News:

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