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LSU Football Stock Watch: Three Transfers Making Noise for Brian Kelly's Program

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 4:30 PM ET

No. 3 LSU is 1-0 for the first time since the 2019 season after taking down the Clemson Tigers this past weekend at Memorial Stadium.

The victory over Dabo Swinney's program snapped a five-game losing skid in Week 1 games for LSU with the Tigers now in the win column heading into the second week of the season.

Brian Kelly and Co. have stolen headlines from coast-to-coast with all eyes on what lies ahead for the Bayou Bengals, but the program is taking it one game at a time.

"There's a standard of playing football here at LSU, and that's the standard that we're gonna have to play when we go on that field. Every Saturday, there's a standard, and our guys know what the standard is," Kelly said. "We're gonna be demanding, not demeaning, but we're gonna be demanding.

"Our expectations are that if we want to go 1-0, we have to do the same things each and every week, and we're not moving off of that. We've heard enough about the other stuff. We're gonna focus on what we can control, and that is today."

LSU attacked the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason after adding 18 newcomers to the roster via the free agent market.

In Week 1, LSU saw a return on investment after the program's transfer additions made statements to propel the Tigers to a win.

Which newcomers boosted their stock?

LSU Stock Watch: Week 1 Edition

No. 1: CB Mansoor Delane

LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane is the surefire winner as the member of the program that boosted his stock the most after Week 1 at Clemson.

Delane, in his first game as a Tiger after transferring from Virginia Tech, tallied two tackles, an interception and broke up two other passes in helping the LSU defense to one of its best performances against a Top 10 opponent.

In his LSU debut, Delane played 55 defensive snaps, allowing only one catch in eight targets.

The win marked the fifth time in program history that LSU beat a Top 4 ranked team in a true road game.

No. 2: DT Bernard Gooden

LSU defensive tackle Bernard Gooden made a statement across the Tigers' four-week Fall Camp in August and carried his momentum into Saturday's clash at Clemson.

Gooden is disruptive and wreaks havoc in the trenches, and while the box score may not tell the entire story, the first-year Tiger made noise.

The South Florida transfer logged a pair of tackles, but his twitchiness and ability to shed off blockers was on full display.

LSU DT Bernard Gooden has my attention #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/GgEim0zNPa
— Steve Letizia (Formerly CFCBears) (@CFCBears) September 1, 2025

Gooden will be a player to keep tabs on across the 2025 season for the Bayou Bengals.

No. 3: WR Barion Brown

LSU wide receiver Barion Brown is quickly carving out an integral role for the Tigers on offense after making his presence felt in Week 1.

The Kentucky Wildcats transfer was targeted seven times against Clemson, and though it only resulted in 25 yards on five receptions, there is trust being built alongside Garrett Nussmeier after a deep touchdown reception was ultimately called back.

The Tigers rolled with veteran Aaron Anderson as the go-to guy at Clemson while leading the program with 99 yards, but it's clear Brown will be a player to monitor as a weapon for the receiving corps in 2025.

LSU's newcomers have stolen headlines, and moving into Week 2 against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, all eyes will be on the Bayou Bengals as the season rolls on.

Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+/ESPN+ this Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.

This article first appeared on LSU Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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