State of the RB Room: LSU Adds Former 4-Star to Roster Once Again

LSU has added former four-star running back Kevontre Bradford to its roster ahead of the 2023 season. A player who will get his third stint with the Tigers, Brian Kelly is giving him another chance to make an impact on this team.

Bradford signed with LSU out of high school in 2020, but after just one season with the Tigers, he announced his departure before committing to Oklahoma. Despite leaving Baton Rouge and heading to the Big 12, Bradford didn’t even play a snap with the Sooners.

The Texas native would then depart Oklahoma and return to the Tigers once again for his second stint, but stepped away from the team completely before the 2022 season.

It’s been nearly two years since Bradford has been in action, and with Kelly now giving him a third chance, it only adds to the depth of this LSU running back room.

A dive into the state of the Tigers backfield:

Logan Diggs

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 quickly became a hot name on the market before Kelly and Co. secured the coveted running back.

The 6-foot, 214-pounder has been durable throughout his college career, and entering an LSU running back room that has battled the injury bug as of late, he has the chance to come in and earn RB1 duties immediately.

Diggs has proven what he’s capable during his time with the Fighting Irish. Kelly has seen it. All of Louisiana has seen it. Now, he has the chance to prove it in the purple and gold that he can take his game to the next level in Baton Rouge.

Josh Williams

It’s hard not to enjoy watching Williams on the gridiron. A scrappy, do-it-all guy, he does the dirty work for this running back group when it comes to efficiency in his blocks and picking up the first down on third and short when called upon.

In 2022 Williams proved he’s much more than a situational running back. He evolved his game and thrived when given the opportunity. Once Armoni Goodwin went down with a hamstring early in the season, Williams took the starting back keys and never looked back.

Finishing the season with 97 carries for 532 yards rushing and six touchdowns, he led this running back room in yards, but also became a leader for this group. A player we could envision seeing wear No. 18 in the foreseeable future, Williams is deserving of his “A” grade.

Noah Cain

Cain’s time on the field was inconsistent. There were games where he didn’t see the field at all and others where he played a pivotal role in the offensive success. Regardless, when Cain did see snaps, he thrived.

He totaled 76 carries for 409 yards in 2022 with an eye-opening 10 touchdowns. Cain became a powerback for this running back room. When third and short appeared, insert Cain, and it immediately became a recipe for success.

Cain has the chance to take that next step in 2023. With an efficient first season in Baton Rouge, the hometown kid can carry his success over into next season. Pairing his red zone efficiency with consistency on third and short earned big-time chances in 2022.

John Emery

We’ve been waiting for that breakout year from Emery. Will it come in 2023? Will he even suit up in the purple and gold? Emery wasn’t with the program during spring camp after focusing on academics. Though he remains on LSU’s roster, it’ll be interesting to monitor his status come fall camp.

Armoni Goodwin

When healthy, Goodwin is the Tigers’ RB1 given his production when on the field. It was a challenging season for the sophomore back. Suffering a brutal hamstring injury early in the season and a knee injury to close out the season, Goodwin missed a plethora of games for the Tigers.

When on the field, the youngster was effective, even when the offensive line was still figuring out their identity to start the year. Goodwin totaled 267 yards on 45 attempts with five touchdowns in five games played.

Kaleb Jackson - Freshman

The 5-foot-10, 200-pound prospect was a top prospect in Louisiana and a top 10 running back in the class of 2023. For Kelly and his staff to keep the Baton Rouge native home is a massive win for this program as they continue trying to reel in the state’s top talent.

Jackson has the ability to run over defenders while also possessing the agility and finesse to shake the defense with his quick feet. It’s too lofty of expectations to compare on to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but the electric running back attains a few traits that could be similar.

Trey Holly - Freshman

Louisiana’s all-time rushing leader Trey Holly put pen to paper and signed his letter of intent with Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers in December. One of the first commitments in this 2023 class, Holly helped boost this cycle in a big way as a recruiter of other players.

In his senior campaign, Holly logged 14 games played with 305 carries, 2,633 yards and 33 touchdowns. Holly set the Louisiana high school rushing record for a career with 1,228 carries for 10,523 yards and 146 touchdowns.