The Eye-Catchers: Pair of LSU Football Transfer Additions Turning Heads

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers hit the NCAA Transfer Portal with force during the winter window after reeling in the No. 1 class in America.

A group headlined by multiple double-digit immediate impact players, Kelly and Co. have retooled the roster in a big way this offseason.

Now, the Bayou Bengals have begun going through spring workouts with the team handling business alongside the strength and conditioning coaches.

LSU has seen a pair of newcomers arrive in town looking the part as they prepare to take on major roles with the purple and gold in 2025.

The Eye-Catchers: Spring Workouts Edition

Nic Anderson: No. 5 Rated Transfer Wide Receiver

The LSU Tigers sent shockwaves across the college football scene in December after signing Oklahoma star wide receiver Nic Anderson.

Anderson set the Oklahoma freshman record for touchdown receptions with 10 in 2023 after a standout campaign with the Sooners.

Along with double-digit touchdowns, his 798 receiving yards that year rank No. 2 in Oklahoma history for a freshman.

In two years with the Sooners, Anderson appeared in 17 games with six starts, all coming as a redshirt freshman in 2023. Anderson missed the entire 2024 season with an injury.

Anderson earned Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic in 2023 and was twice named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week. He had three 100-yard games with a career-high 120 yards on three receptions against Tulsa. All three of his receptions against Tulsa went for touchdowns.

In OU’s 2023 win over Texas, Anderson caught the game-winning TD pass with 15 seconds left in the 34-30 win over the Longhorns.

He capped off his redshirt freshman season with seven receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown against Arizona in the Alamo Bowl.

Anderson was a four-star prospect at Katy High School and was ranked as the nation’s No. 15 wide receiver prospect by ESPN.

Now, Anderson is officially in Baton Rouge going through spring workouts with the LSU program. It's been a quick two-week stretch, but the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder has looked the part for LSU thus far:

Brian Kelly and Co. signed the No. 5 rated wide receiver in the Transfer Portal last month: Nic Anderson.

Now, the Oklahoma star is in Baton Rouge going through spring workouts with the program.

Anderson arrived on campus looking the part at 6’4, 215 pounds.

Turning heads. pic.twitter.com/6zmz4LEmyD
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) January 24, 2025

Anderson looks a full 215 pounds as he prepares for a critical offseason in Baton Rouge. All signs point to the Oklahoma star emering as the Tigers' WR1 this fall.

Tamarcus Cooley: No. 2 Rated Transfer Safety

The LSU Tigers signed the No. 2 rated safety in the NCAA Transfer Portal in January after North Carolina State's Tamarcus Cooley made the move to Baton Rouge.

The highest-rated defensive player on the North Carolina State squad in 2024, Cooley departed Raleigh after logging 30 tackles, nine passes broken, three interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles last season.

Cooley spent his first season with the Maryland Terrapins in 2023 prior to heading to North Carolina State in 2024.

He immediately caught the eye of head coach Dave Doeren midway through the season as a key contributor as a redshirt-freshman.

"He played really well in a lot of ways," Doeren said of the redshirt-freshman safety. "In the box, setting edges, fitting in the run. Then in coverage he had number of pass breakups. He had the big interception at the end of the game. He did a good job fitting a lot of formations and surface areas. There's a lot going on there communication-wise on motions. For a young guy to have to manage all that, it was impressive."

Cooley took visits to Ole Miss, LSU and Kentucky earlier this month with the Tigers ultimately locking down the coveted ACC transfer during his visit to Baton Rouge.

It's no secret the LSU program was need need of more competition in the defensive backfield after losing multiple safeties this offseason including starters Sage Ryan and Major Burns.

With the cornerback room restocked and ready for the 2025 season, attention shifted to the safety room with targets emerging via the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Cooley and others became priorities with the North Carolina State standout sitting atop the program's board.

Now, Cooley enters the mix with LSU adding the No. 2 overall safety in the NCAA Transfer Portal.

He's arrived in Baton Rouge and has begun doing spring workouts with the program with the Tigers gearing up for camp in the next six weeks.

#LSU signed the No. 2 rated safety in the Transfer Portal earlier this month: Tamarcus Cooley.

The coveted ACC transfer has begun going through spring workouts with the program after getting to Baton Rouge.

The 5-11, 205-pounder headlines a new-look defensive backfield in 2025. pic.twitter.com/Ms7Xeo0soy
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) January 24, 2025

It's a monstrous get for the program with LSU addressing seemingly every need during the winter portal window. The final piece was adding two safeties, and with one down, attention could shift to another during the spring window.

More LSU News:

LSU Adds Commitments From Seven Top-100 Transfers in the Portal

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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