LSU defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. A key starter for this unit, Roy will skip his senior season and prepare for his professional journey. There is no clarification on his bowl status at this moment.
Roy totaled 49 total tackles in 2022, playing a huge role alongside Mekhi Wingo in the trenches. The dynamic duo slowly go into a groove towards the backend of the season.
A projected first rounder before the season, Roy’s draft stock certainly fell this season, but clearly not enough to hold him back from entering his name. A lethal weapon with unteachable instincts, Roy could see his stock rise after a successful Pro Day and NFL Combine.
LSU will now put an even larger emphasis on adding defensive linemen via the transfer portal.
LSU Will Prioritize Defensive Line in Transfer Portal
With BJ Ojulari and Roy declaring for the NFL Draft, this defensive line certainly has some work to do this offseason when it comes to adding depth up front.
This position group will need to retool going into 2023. With Maason Smith returning, Mekhi Wingo looking to take an even bigger role next year, Quency Wiggins stepping in and a few more talented guys up front, this unit will need a couple of savvy veterans.
Jamar Cain has proven to be one of the top recruiters in the country at the defensive line position. How will he utilize the portal this month? LSU has dished out an offer to Western Michigan defensive tackle Braden Fiske along with numerous others over the last two weeks.
Fiske has played five years of college football, but remains with one final year of eligibility. He finished the 2022 season with 58 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, seven quarterback hurries and three pass breakups. For his collegiate career, he’s tallied 148 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks across his career.
Brian Kelly’s Transfer Portal Message:
“They have got to be the right fit first,” Kelly said. “They have to recognize the value of an education from LSU. They have to have the right traits. We are not just open for business. We’re not just putting a sign up saying, hey, we are going to take whoever. They have to be the right fit. I prefer that they are from the state of Louisiana if we can find them. And then we are going to address needs based upon how that freshman class marries into it by the particular needs by position class.
“So we are not going to overload a particular position group. In other words, if we have got three or four wide receivers that are freshmen coming in, you may not see a heavy influence in the portal in that position.
“We are going to develop based upon our freshman class, too. So we are doing this at the same time, and also allowing our program to be younger, too. We want to bring both of these along. We don’t always want to be a turn-it-over program where we are bringing in transfers and turning the program over.”
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