LSU Transfer Portal: Priority Targets to Monitor This Week
LSU remains active in the NCAA Transfer Portal as we near the middle of May. Brian Kelly and Co. continue searching for depth in a few areas, and with significant talent sitting in the portal, the Tigers are keeping all options open.
After missing out on Louisiana transfer cornerback Trey Amos, who ultimately committed to Alabama, this program has their eye on a few top portal prospects.
Who are the Tigers keeping tabs on? Who’s set to be in town this weekend for official visits? Is there a portal prospect LSU may be out of the running for?
A dive into the latest:
Logan Diggs - Running Back - Notre Dame
Louisiana native Logan Diggs entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in late April after two seasons with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Since then, the coveted running back has heard from schools all over the country.
Diggs is fresh off of his best season with Notre Dame. After rushing for 821 rushing yards on a team-high 165 carries, while scoring four touchdowns and averaging five yards per carry, Diggs is a hot name on the market.
He’s heard from LSU, USC, South Carolina and Colorado, among others as he continues locking in his visits. Diggs recently visited South Carolina, a program that can offer him immediate playing time against SEC competition, where the visit reportedly went well.
But Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers will get their chance with Diggs this weekend as he makes his way to Baton Rouge for an official visit. For Kelly and Co. to get the Louisiana native to campus is a big victory for this program as they look to give him the red carpet treatment once in town.
We’ve seen Kelly and his staff reel in Louisiana natives who have entered the portal, in fact it’s what Kelly looks for in the portal, and Diggs could be much of the same. It’s hard to not like LSU’s chances here with the coveted running back.
Antonio Carter - Defensive Back - Rhode Island
Kelly continues placing emphasis on adding experience to its secondary after offering Rhode Island defensive back Antonio Carter II on Tuesday. After receiving an offer, Carter has already locked in a visit to Baton Rouge where he’ll head down South this weekend.
Carter will take a visit to see Billy Napier and the Florida Gators before making the trip to see Brian Kelly and the Tigers’ coaching staff as well this weekend.
Carter has also taken visits to Ole Miss and Wisconsin since entering in April. A player who is entering as a grad transfer, Carter will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next destination.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound defensive back, and rising redshirt junior, attains the experience and intangibles this coaching staff is looking for. Carter played 1,015 snaps at outside cornerback and 274 snaps at box safety over his time with Rhode Island.
Carter is a two-year starter where he appeared in 21 games for his squad, tallying 105 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, 17 passes defended and three forced fumbles.
The Tigers will have their work cut out for them in the pursuit of Carter, who they will be primarily be recruiting as a safety. After visiting both Ole Miss and Wisconsin, he was also set to check out Notre Dame and Kentucky, but after earning LSU and Florida offers, he shifted gears rather quickly when it came to which visits he wanted to take.
Keon Coleman - Wide Receiver - Michigan State
Coleman’s decision to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal came as a surprise to many. The electrifying wideout was set to be the Spartans WR1 this season, but electing to take his talents elsewhere, he has a long list of potential suitors.
After a productive 2022 season with the Sparty’s, Coleman has seen his game takeoff ahead of this season. The Louisiana native led the Spartans in receptions (58), receiving yards (798) and receiving touchdowns (7) in 2022.
The 6-foot-4 wide receiver has multiple years of eligibility remaining, which makes him that much more of an intriguing target for LSU. Brian Kelly has expressed how important it is to reel in guys who can make an impact for the long haul, and for Coleman, he fits the criteria Kelly is looking for.
Coleman has already taken visits to Florida State and Ole Miss where LSU appears to be out of the running to this point. A player who is looking for an immediate impact situation, LSU’s wide receiver room may be a little too deep currently. Unless something changes (a visit to Baton Rouge), it appears Coleman will be going elsewhere.
Kam Pedescleaux - Safety - Louisiana
Pedescleaux hasn’t reported an offer from the Tigers just yet, but this could change quickly as the Tigers search for safety depth. He’s been quiet on social media ever since entering the portal, but the Ragin’ Cajun could start to lock in on his recruitment process soon.
For LSU, this program lacks depth at safety. With Major Burns and Greg Brooks handling duties in this area, the Tigers could look to make a push for Pedescleaux, who has two years of eligibility remaining after entering the portal as a graduate transfer.
With no news reported yet from an offers standpoint, LSU pushing for the Texas native could make sense, but again, nothing has been revealed in this area. He’ll could be a name to monitor as he goes through the process. Pedescleaux was PFF’s second highest graded safety last season (89.7). He recorded 74 TKL’s, 2.5 TFL, 1 INT, 6 PD’s, 2 FF’s and 1 FR last season.
