LSU football signed the No. 2 ranked transfer portal class in college football this year. The. Tigers landed 16 transfers, 10 of which were blue-chip additions, according to 247Sports.
Last year, LSU's portal approach focused on adding depth. This year, defensive coordinator Blake Baker said the Tigers made a point to seek out experienced impact players.
"We were looking for immediate players, you know, we weren't necessarily, we don't necessarily have to bring in guys from a depth standpoint. I think right now we're bridging that gap between our high school recruiting classes and the portal. So we wanted mature guys, guys that have played a bunch of snaps," Baker said at a press conference.
Baker said when LSU looked at the roster, they noticed a lack of experience. There weren't a handful of guys with 300+ career snaps, even if the talent was there.
"We wanted to be able to look for experience and obviously production," Baker said.
With the volume of players that enter the portal, Baker said coaching staffs must narrow their focus. You have to know what you're looking for.
LSU's 2025 portal class filled needs at defensive end, wide receiver, and offensive line. The Tigers landed multiple experienced players at every position of need. That was an improvement over 2024, where LSU was struggling to land defensive tackles, despite it being a hole on the roster.
LSU Football Transfer Portal Signing Class -- 2025
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Tamarcus Cooley | S |
| Donovan Green | TE |
| Josh Thompson | IOL |
| Patrick Payton | EDGE |
| Braelin Moore | IOL |
| Sydir Mitchell | DL |
| Grant Chadwick | P |
| Nic Anderson | WR |
| Destyn Hill | WR |
| Mansoor Delane | CB |
| Jack Pyburn | EDGE |
| Michael Van Buren | QB |
| Jimari Butler | EDGE |
| Barion Brown | WR |
| Ja'Keem Jackson | CB |
| Bauer Sharp | TE |
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Blake Baker on what LSU football coaches looked for in transfer portal