LSU football's Brian Kelly lands top CB in transfer portal
12/16/2024 08:11 PM
LSU football head coach Brian Kelly landed one of the top cornerbacks in the transfer portal. The move comes right before the Tigers head into a critical offseason under their third-year head coach. LSU has had a very trying season and is currently unranked, sitting at 8-4 overall. The Tigers have racked up a few embarrassing losses this year, such as the 42-13 defeat at home to SEC rival Alabama. This defeat all but eliminated Brian Kelly’s team from having any chance of making the College Football Playoff.
The consequences of this disappointing season have resulted in eleven players on the Tigers’ roster entering the transfer portal. Brian Kelly, however, is starting to find some momentum in the portal, particularly on defense. According to Hayes Fawcett, a National Recruiting/Transfer Portal Reporter for On3, LSU has landed Virginia Tech transfer cornerback Mansoor Delane. The junior was named Third-Team All-ACC this season and is considered one of the top players available at his position.
LSU is rebuilding its biggest weakness under Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly has had a decorated, Hall-of-Fame-worthy career as a college football head coach. The Everett, Massachusetts native has been successful everywhere he’s been and has compiled a resume that includes being the all-time winningest coach at Notre Dame. However, one of Kelly’s strengths throughout his career has been one of his most significant weaknesses in Baton Rouge. For three years, Kelly has failed to build a competent defense at LSU.
Since Kelly took over, the Tigers have had one of the worst defenses in the SEC. This unit’s deficiencies last season were one of the main reasons LSU lost three games the same year Jayden Daniels won the 2023 Heisman Trophy. If there are no significant improvements on this side of the ball in 2025, Brian Kelly’s seat will continue to get warmer.
Mansoor Delane has continually improved during his time with the Hokies. The junior recorded a career-high four interceptions in 2024, which was enough to rank third in the conference. Delane’s addition, alongside the commitment of Florida defensive end Jack Plyburn, indicates that Brian Kelly is doing everything he can to rebuild his struggling defense.
Overall, LSU is heading into a consequential 2025 season where results must be shown. The twelve-team College Football Playoff gives this program no reason to think it cannot qualify for next year’s field. The Tigers have the eighth-ranked recruiting class in the nation and are making aggressive moves in the transfer portal. Therefore, expectations will be high in Baton Rouge in 2025, and if Kelly doesn’t live up to them, he could be on his way out after only four years.
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