The LSU Newcomers: Meet the New Additions to the Tigers Roster
Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers have been rolling this offseason, and with the spring semester kicking off on Wednesday, the program will welcome 20 new members of the roster to Baton Rouge.
Kelly and Co. moved in 13 early enrollees from the 2024 signing class, a JUCO enrollee and six transfers as they begin preparing for spring football in the coming weeks.
Here's a look into the 20 newcomers.
The Early Enrollees:
Quarterback: Colin Hurley
Talented young quarterback who re-classified to the Class of 2024 … Will only be 16 years old when he enrolls at LSU in January … Made his varsity debut in eighth grade … Rated with 4-stars and considered one of the top 20 prep quarterbacks for this signing class … Ranked as high as No. 14 at his position by ESPN … Participated in the Elite 11 quarterback skills competition … Participant in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl … Led team to state title as a freshman in 2021 … Named the Florida Class 2A Player of the Year … Named to the 2023 Super 11 by the Florida Times-Union, which is a list of the 11 best high school seniors in the state of Florida … Passed for over 5,000 yards during his prep career … Completed 122-of-207 passes for 1,707 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2023 … As a freshman, threw for 2,146 yards and 24 TDs leading his team to the Florida Class 2A state title.
Offensive Tackle: Ethan Calloway
Rated as a 4-star recruit and ranked the No. 12 offensive tackle in the nation and No. 4 overall in the state of North Carolina by On3 … Ranked as a 4-star and as the No. 20 offensive tackle and No. 9 overall in North Carolina in the On3 composite ranking … Attended Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, N.C.… Played just 2 seasons of varsity football … Helped his team to two playoff appearances… Played a key role in an offense that averaged 363.9 yards per game with 261.2 rushing yards and an average of 6.0 yards per carry in 2022 … Helped team to a 9-2 mark as a senior in 2023 … First-Team All-State in 2023 … Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Offensive Linemen: Khayree Lee, Coen Echols and Joseph Cryer
Lee... Top offensive line prospect from John Ehret High School in New Orleans … Rated with 3-stars and as the nation’s No. 47 interior offensive line prospect by the On3 composite … Listed as the No. 13 prospect in Louisiana … Rated as high as No. 26 nationally at his position by 247Sports … Helped his team to a playoff berth in 2023 after it posted a 7-4 regular season record and a 3-1 record in 5A District 8.
Cryer... One of the top offensive line prospects in Louisiana, rated No. 28 overall in the state and No. 68 nationally among all interior linemen in the On3 composite … Rated with 3-stars by all recruiting services … Ranked as high as No. 42 nationally by ESPN and as the No. 18 prospect in Louisiana … Former teammates with fellow 2024 signee Tylen Singleton at Many High School … Won the Louisiana Division III non-select state title in 2022 with Many… Finished high school at Natchitoches Central in Natchitoches, La.… Helped the Chiefs rushing offense average 5.4 yards per carry and contributed to the pass offense’s average of 213.5 yards per game… Played a key role in the Chiefs finishing with an average of 341.8 yards of total offense … Second-Team 5A All-State in 2023 … Grew up loving LSU football and dreamed of playing for the Tigers.
Defensive Linemen: Gabriel Reliford and Ahmad Breaux
Reliford... Defensive line prospect who is considered one of the best at his position in the Class of 2024 … Rated with 4-stars in the On3 composite … Ranked as high as No. 7 nationally and No. 4 overall in Louisiana by On3 … Composite national ranking of No. 23 at his position and No. 6 overall in Louisiana … Tallied 251 tackles and 15 sacks over the span of junior and senior seasons … As a junior, racked up 129 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 6 sacks … Followed that with 122 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 21 QB hurries and a fumble recovery as a senior in 2023 … Capped career with 17 tackles vs. Shaw in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs … Comes from same school that produced former LSU standouts in Jacob Hester, Micah Baskerville and Jarrick Bernard-Converse.
Breaux... One of the top prospects in Louisiana … Rated as 3-star linebacker by On3, 247 Sports, ESPN and Rivals … Helped Ruston capture the Division I non-select state title with a 31-17 win over Zachary … It was Ruston’s first state title since 1990 … Listed as the nation’s No. 61 ranked defensive lineman and No. 20 overall in Louisiana in the composite rankings … As a junior, recorded 662 tackles, including 6 sacks, 2 pass breakups and a pair of fumble recoveries … Two-time First-Team 5A All-State in 2022 and 2023 … Spends time away from football building computers and wants to study software engineering at LSU … Coached by Jerrod Baugh.
Linebackers: Tylen Singleton, Dahvon Keys and Kolaj Cobbins
Singleton... One of the nation’s top linebackers from north Louisiana football power Many … Four-year starter for the Tigers, leading Many to state titles in 2020 and 2022 along with a runner-up finish in 2021 … Team reached the quarterfinals in 2023 … Rated a consensus 4-star prospect and listed No. 134 overall nationally, No. 10 linebacker and the No. 5 player in Louisiana … Earned MVP honors of the 2020 2A state championship game as a freshman … First-Team 2A All-State at safety in 2022 and 2023 … First-Team 2A All-State as a sophomore in 2021 … Tallied 75 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and a sack in 2021 … Followed that with 78 tackles and a pair of sacks in 2022 … Named to the Butkus Award Pre-Season Watch List prior to 2023 season … Coached by Jess Curtis.
Keys... Top-rated inside linebacker from Texas powerhouse Aledo High School … Born in Louisiana ut moved to Texas at an early ago … Consensus 4-star linebacker and rated the No. 33 linebacker nationally and the No. 60 player in the state of Texas … Given 4-stars by Rivals and 247Sports … Rated as high as the No. 12 linebacker nationally by ESPN and No. 18 by Rivals … Won 3 state titles in high school, including the Texas 5A Division I State Championship as a senior … Had 12 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and a sack in 51-8 win over Smithson Valley in 2023 state championship game, earning game MVP honors … For career, racked up 398 total tackles, 40 tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hurries and 8 sacks … Added 9 interceptions – returning 4 for touchdowns – to go with 6 fumble recoveries, 4 forced fumbles, 2 blocked field goals and a blocked punt … Scored 35 total touchdowns in his prep career … Plans to study computer engineering.
Cobbins... One of the nation’s top linebacker prospects … Ranked with 4-stars by 247 Sports, ESPN and Rivals … Ranked as the 13th linebacker in the country and 7th in Louisiana by ESPN … In composite rankings, listed with 4 stars and as the nation’s No. 23 linebacker and No. 9 overall in Louisiana … Selected to participate in the 2024 All-American Bowl … Voted a unanimous team captain by his teammates as a senior … In win over Terrebonne in 2023, had 14 tackles, 3 for losses, and returned an interception 28 yards for a touchdown on his way to being named Greater New Orleans QB Club Player of the Week … As a junior, had 60 tackles, 12 sacks and forced 8 fumbles … Led team to an 11-1 overall mark and to the quarterfinals of the Division I non-select playoffs … Two-time 5A First-Team All-State selection in 2022 and 2023 … Member of Beta Club in high school … Coached by Marcus Scott.
Cornerback: PJ Woodland
Rated as a 4-star cornerback by Rivals … Listed with 3-stars in the On3 composite … Ranked as high as No. 28 nationally at his position and No. 9 overall in Mississippi by Rivals … Multi-sport athlete who also plays basketball … Played on both sides of the ball and at multiple positions in the secondary … Had over 1,300 receiving yards as a senior on his way to being named the Mississippi 7A Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 … Played in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game … As a junior in 2022, tallied 38 tackles and intercepted 7 passes … Recorded 52 tackles, 5 interceptions, returning 2 for touchdowns in 2023 … Named to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger Large School All-State team in 2023 … Led Oak Grove to the Mississippi 7A state title as a senior.
Safeties: Dashawn McBryde and Joel Rogers
McBryde... Tremendous safety prospect from Denham Springs High School, located just east of Baton Rouge … Rated with 4-stars and as the nation’s No. 4 safety prospect in the On3 composite … Rated the No. 3 overall prospect in Louisiana in the composite rankings … Helped Denham Springs to a 10-3 record and the quarterfinals of the 2022 Division I non-select playoffs … Two-time First-Team 5A All-State selection in 2022 and 2023 … Earned All-Livingston Parish honors and named All-District 5-5A choice…Finished his senior season with 51 tackles, 9 interceptions, 9 pass breakups, and scored 3 defensive TDs … A multi-sport athlete who also competes in track and field… As a junior in 2022, set the school-record with 10 interceptions … Born in Utah but moved to Louisiana at a young age.
Rogers... Highly-regarded defensive back prospect from West Feliciana High School, just north of Baton Rouge … Rated with 4-stars by all major recruiting services … Ranked as the nation’s No. 246 overall prospect, No. 17 at safety and No. 8 overall in Louisiana in the On3 composite … Ranked as high as No. 197 nationally by ESPN and No. 5 overall in Louisiana … Primarily played quarterback for West Feliciana, leading his team to a 13-1 mark and the district title … Team advanced to the semifinals of the Division II non-select playoffs … Accumulated 1,610 total yards and 21 touchdowns in 2022 … Played 4 sports in high school … Served as a commander in the Junior ROTC … Clocked at 22.42 in the 200-meters and has a long jump of 22-7.
The JUCO Enrollee: DL Shone Washington
Junior college transfer who joins the Tigers after one season at East Mississippi Community College … Signed with Georgia out of high school and spent one year with the Bulldogs in 2022 … Tremendous defensive line prospect considered one of the top players in the junior college ranks in 2023 … In his 1 junior college season, tallied 26 tackles and a sack for a defense that allowed only 19 points and 318.2 yards per game … Rated as high as the No. 13 overall junior college prospect by ESPN and No. 5 at his position .. Played high school football at Warren Easton where he helped his team to the 4A state championship game … At Georgia, appeared in 1 game, recording a tackle in a 2022 win over Samford.
The Transfer Additions
- Jardin Gilbert (Safety): Texas A&M
- Zavion Thomas (Wide Receiver): Mississippi State
- AJ Swann (Quarterback): Vanderbilt
- CJ Daniels (Wide Receiver): Liberty
- Jyaire Brown (Cornerback): Ohio State
- Austin Ausberry (Defensive Back): Auburn
