Brian Kelly Reveals BJ Ojulari's Citrus Bowl Status

Ojulari has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, fresh off of career year for the Tigers.

Brian Kelly addressed the media Saturday afternoon as the Tigers continue preparation for their Citrus Bowl showdown against Purdue.

LSU has seen a number of their top players declare for the NFL Draft, specifically BJ Ojulari, with Kelly providing an update on his bowl status.

“[Ojulari] is not going to be playing],” Kelly said. “We think we’ve got some options there that will provide the kind of defensive pressure that we need. We like some of the guys that we have that are practicing right now.”

The defensive line position is thin from a depth perspective, but Kelly and his staff are preparing to add a few bodies in both the transfer portal and their 2023 class.

LSU Will Add Defensive Linemen via Transfer Portal

What does Jaquelin Roy? Ojulari’s stock has soared over the course of the last two years, prompting him to enter the 2023 NFL Draft, but as for Roy, it certainly fell this season.

For Roy, he could benefit off of an extra year in Baton Rouge. Therefore, 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 already.

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.