LSU Country

LSU Football Newcomer Profile: Prized RB Caden Durham Dialed In For Year One

Durham arrives in Baton Rouge as a fresh face in the running back room, looking to make a name for himself.

Zack Nagy

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The LSU football staff dipped into Texas once again after signing Duncanville running back Caden Durham in the 2024 cycle.

The coveted Lone Star State back was wined and dined by the top programs in America, but once LSU laid out the plan for his future, it was a match made in heaven.

Durham took his fair share of visits to Baton Rouge with the consense four-star back eventually committing to the Bayou Bengals last year.

Then, he put pen to paper during the Early Signing Period in December and the rest was history.

For Durham, the speedster elected not to enroll early at LSU in January so he could participate in his senior season on the track and field. A player who has the chance to be a two-sport athlete, he propelled Duncanville on the track as well as the gridiron.

Now, he's arrived in Baton Rouge as a summer enrollee with an opportunity to make some noise as a freshman this season.

LSU has its one-two punch in the backfield with freshman star Kaleb Jackson returning for year two alongside sixth-year senior Josh Williams, but Durham can compete for key snaps this offseason.

The third back in the rotation remains a mystery with second-year Tiger Trey Holly battling off-the-field issues.

LSU brought back super senior John Emery for another season in the purple and gold with Durham set to work for snaps with the third-team alongside Emery.

What is LSU getting in Durham? A quick scouting report:

Elite Speed

Durham will be a two-sport athlete in the purple and gold after signing with the Tigers. Along with being the next running back in Baton Rouge, Durham will also compete in track for one of the top programs in the country.

It’s his elite-level speed that makes him so difficult to take down in open space with the ball in his hands and it’s shown against some of the top talent in the country.

Duncanville plays a rigorous schedule and Durham routinely handles business due to his speed and elusiveness with the football.

The top end speed of his is what makes him such a force. The balance of speed and strength Durham attains gives defenses fits, and after leading Duncanville to back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023, LSU’s latest signee put the offense on his back to take home some hardware.

Power, Versatility

Durham can be a three-down back for the Tigers and it was one of the reasons he decided to take his talents to Baton Rouge. The plan Frank Wilson put in place was one that Durham felt could come to fruition if he made the move.

The versatility the four-star back attains is a piece of his game that offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock has to be salivating over.

He can catch the ball out of the backfield and turn up field in the blink of an eye but he can also use his strength to bounce off of defenders when running downfield.

Durham can make an impact sooner rather than later for the Tigers given his unique skill set as a running back. The Tigers may have significant depth with this position group, but adding Durham to the mix makes them that much more lethal moving forward.

The Future

LSU brought in two four-star freshmen in the 2023 class: Kaleb Jackson and Trey Holly. The pair of youngsters have different play styles, but moving forward, they will be key in what this running back room does long term.

Factor in the addition of Durham in the 2024 class and this position group is certainly built to compete in the SEC. With a variation of skill sets and young guys with the physical make up to play early, running backs coach Frank Wilson has done an excellent job in building up his group moving forward.

Another High-Profile Freshman Skill Position Player: Kylan Billiot

The history of talented wide receivers to run through Baton Rouge dates back decades, and with the Tigers signing a pair of wideouts in the 2024 cycle, there could be more on the way.

When the Bayou Bengals brought in the No. 1 wide receiver in Louisiana, Kylan Billiot, there was significant intrigue in his long term potential.

Billiot skyrocketed up the recruiting rankings during his senior campaign, ultimately ending up as a consensus four-star recruit.

We've seen Louisiana natives Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and others take Baton Rouge by storm with Billiot looking to be the next great wideout to come from the Bayou State.

He arrived in Death Valley over the summer and quickly began to take strides in the right direction.

Billiot will take year one in the purple and gold to learn from savvy veterans Kyren Lacy, Chris Hilton and CJ Daniels, but looking ahead, the program is intrigued at what he can provide a fiery LSU offense.

"It’s my dream school. It feels really, really nice for me to come to my dream school," Billiot said after committing to LSU. "This was definitely earned. It wasn’t given to me. For me to come (to LSU), it means a lot to me.”

With a chance to develop, it provides Billiot the opportunity to get acclimated to a college regimen before being thrown in the fire.

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LSU Football Newcomer Profile: Dashawn Spears Looks To Make Immediate Impact

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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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