Which of LSU’s incoming transfers could be the most impactful?

One of the first things Brian Kelly needed to do after taking the job at LSU was start building the scholarship numbers back up.

Ed Orgeron’s last couple years at LSU was a masterclass on how not to manage a roster. This left LSU in a really bad spot entering the new year. Just look at the bowl game, where they barely had enough guys to field a complete team. The situation was dire.

Over the last year, LSU has seen players from just about every position transfer. After LSU lost all of that production from 2019, they were never able to recover. Having to rebuild in the middle of a pandemic certainly didn’t make it any easier.

LSU needed to attack the transfer portal this recruiting cycle and they needed to attack it hard. So far, Kelly has done just that. In total, LSU has added 11 transfers, giving them the best transfer portal recruiting class in the country according to 247 Sports.

There are still whispers out there about more guys joining the class, so LSU might not be done yet. But for now, let’s take a look at five guys who could make the largest impact for LSU in 2022.

Miles Frazier

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Miles Frazier kicked off LSU’s transfer frenzy in December, making him one of the first commits of the Brian Kelly era.

Frazier, an offensive tackle who played his freshman year at FIU, helps to fill a large need for LSU.

The offensive line has been an issue for a few years now. Even when they won the Joe Moore award in 2019, the unit struggled at times.

Frazier doesn’t immediately solve the big picture problems. It’ll take a few years to get such a big position group where they need to be. What Frazier does do is give LSU an established presence at a premium position.

Frazier is not a lock to start. Cameron Wire, LSU’s starting left tackle who battled injuries will be back. Garrett Dellinger returns as well, now with some experience under his belt.

Thanks to Frazier and the addition of five-star Will Campbell, LSU should have the best depth they have had at tackle in a few years.

Greg Brooks Jr

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To put it mildly, LSU needed Brooks. LSU came into 2021 with what looked like the best cornerback room in the country.

Eli Ricks and Derek Stingley Jr were bona fide all-Americans and Cordale Flott was someone who could finally live up to his talent level after impressing in 2019.

Stingley Jr was always going to be headed to the NFL this spring, Ricks transferred to Alabama, and Flott played well enough to declare for the draft.

To make matters worse, Dwight McGlothern transferred to Arkansas after looking like a legitimate successor to those three.

The cupboard was bare. The addition of Greg Brooks changes that. He’s a competent player with SEC West experience under his belt. He should be able to step in right away and play at a level LSU expects.

Mekhi Wingo

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Mekhi Wingo doesn’t fill an immediate need for LSU like Frazier and Brooks did. With interior lineman like Maason Smith Jaquelin Roy coming back, LSU’s front was going to be solid either way.

Wingo just adds to that. At Missouri last season, Wingo was one of the best freshman lineman in the conference, totaling 14 pressures on the year according to PFF.

Having Wingo, along with who LSU is bringing back, should allow this group to rotate throughout the game and not miss a beat.

Mekhi Garner

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Garner was another much-needed addition in the secondary.

He may not be as proven as Brooks at a high level, but Brooks is most likely a guy who will play in the slot. Garner gives LSU someone they can put on the outside.

Damarius McGhee should start at one of the corner spots, but it’s not hard to imagine Garner starting opposite of him.

Per PFF, only three cornerbacks in the Sun Belt had a better coverage grade than Garner in 2021.

LSU might not be done in the portal at this position, but as it stands, he is as good as any cornerback on this roster.

Noah Cain

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There’s plenty of talent in the LSU running back room.

Armoni Goodwin and Corey Kiner both came in last year with a lot of hype and John Emery is still around, waiting for the chance to breakout.

Cain gives LSU some depth and experience in this rotation.

Cain joined Penn State as a five-star in 2019 and looked really good as a freshman. He was one of the best freshman backs in the Big Ten.

He missed all of 2020 with an injury. In 2021, he struggled, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry.

He’ll now be two years removed from his injury with a chance to return to the player he looked like in 2019.

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