LSU Country

LSU Football Freshmen Ready to Make an Impact in Year One

LSU's 2024 recruiting class continues trending in the right direction, standing out during Fall Camp.

Zack Nagy

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Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers pieced together an impressive 2024 Recruiting Class this offseason with several newcomers emerging as key pieces to the program.

Headlined by five-star freshman Dominick McKinley, Kelly and Co. are beginning to work the first-year Tigers in the mix rather quickly.

LSU has several youngsters that have made their way into the two-deep Depth Chart, but who can make an impact in Year 1 in Baton Rouge?

Four Youngsters to Keep Tabs On

PJ Woodland: Cornerback

One of the new faces in the cornerback room is true freshman PJ Woodland.

The youngster has already started turning heads after skyrocketing up the depth chart during his first spring in Baton Rouge as an early-enrollee.

Woodland, a Mississippi native who committed to the Tigers last fall, took first-team reps during spring football on the opposite side of sophomore cornerback Ashton Stamps.

Now, while working with the second-team during Fall Camp, he's continuing to emerge as a key youngster for the program, but consistency will be his best friend.

It's no surprise that Woodland is impressing so early. Ask defensive coordinator Blake Baker who summed it up best during the spring:

“Competitiveness. PJ Woodland is a competitor,” Baker said of Woodland.“He’s feisty, he’s physical, and he can run. More than anything, for a freshman, we’ve thrown him out there with the ones some and thrown him out there against our top receivers and he competes. That’s where it starts, but he has the physical tools. He has long levers, he’s physical and he can run, so I’ve been impressed with him. It wasn’t easy. Those first three days before spring break I guarantee you he was saying ‘what in the world did I do coming here early?’ but he’s been really impressive these last few days.”

Woodland will continue putting on size after checking in at 5-foot-11, 160 pounds once on campus, but the physicality and intangibles are certainly there. He's feisty as Baker said and continues taking that next step in a cornerback room that has players pushing for first team reps.

DaShawn Spears: Safety

Spears, a consensus Top 10 safety in America coming out of high school, made his way to Baton Rouge in January as an early-enrollee.

Now, he's already making an impact in Death Valley.

He's run with the second-team defense and impressed thoroughly during his first reps with a defense looking to take steps in the right direction in 2024.

It'll be hard to keep Spears off of the field this fall. He's been a bright spot and has an opportunity to take impactful snaps if need be. After getting a firsthand look at the youngster during March and April, he was noticeably impactful.

Now, the momentum has been carried into Fall Camp where he's been an impressive freshman playing alongside several upperclassmen.

He's a long, athletic defensive back who was a fast-riser in the 2024 cycle. Spears is poised for an impactful season in Baton Rouge if all goes accordingly.

Dominick McKinley: Defensive Lineman

McKinley, the No. 1 prospect in Louisiana, revealed his commitment to Brian Kelly and the Tigers in December before putting pen to paper in February.

For Kelly and defensive line coach Bo Davis, the addition of McKinley quickly became a critical move due to lack of depth within the interior defensive line.

Now, McKinley has made his way to Baton Rouge and is quickly turning heads in Death Valley.

The freshman phenom hovered around the 275-285 pound range during his senior year of high school with Acadiana (La.), but has bulked up significantly this offseason.

McKinley is now listed at 6-foot-6, 316 pounds heading into his first season with the Bayou Bengals.

The program is easing him into the mix during Fall Camp. After working with the third-team during most of preseason practice, he's beginning to get more and more reps for the program. It would be no surprise to see him on the two-deep Depth Chart heading into Week 1 against USC.

Treye'Dez Greeen: Tight End

LSU freshman tight end Trey'Dez Green arrived in Baton Rouge as one of the top newcomers on the Bayou Bengals' 2024 roster.

The five-star Louisiana native has the chance to make a name for himself in the purple and gold with the program intrigued at what's to come.

Green arrived on campus in May as a summer enrollee and immediately made an impression with his physical traits.

Now, the dual-sport star is cruising in the LSU offense alongside Mason Taylor and Ka'Morreun Pimpton in the tight end room. He's showcased his impressive athleticism with soft hands, which has LSU rolling with several two tight end sets during Fall Camp.

Taylor is your clearcut No. 1 tight end, but it'll be intriguing to watch both Pimpton and Green make an impact. They've shown how lethal they are as receivers with Green showing no signs of fear heading into Year 1.

Honorable Mentions:

- Ju'Juan Johnson (STAR)

- Gabriel Reliford (EDGE)

- Weston Davis (OT)

More LSU News:

Fall Camp Week 3 Preview: Storylines, Position Battles and Depth Chart Predictions

LSU Inching Towards No. 1 Recruiting Class in America

The Eye-Catchers: Who's Standing Out During Fall Camp?

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.

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Zack Nagy

ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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