LSU Football: Tigers Offer Prized Transfer Defensive Back

Brian Kelly and Co. remain active in the portal, dish out another offer to a position of need.

The LSU football staff is in search of reinforcements in the secondary, and with the NCAA Transfer Portal firing on all cylinders, this program is dishing out offers left and right.

The most recent scholarship was handed out to Central Michigan defensive back Trey Jones. A player who shined at the Group of Five level, he's become a hot commodity in the free agent market with LSU, Florida and Tennessee, among others, handing out an offer.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound defensive back appeared in 44 games in four seasons with Central Michigan. He recorded 188 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, three interceptions, eight pass deflections, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one block.

Now, he's looking to take that next step with several SEC programs in his ear, including Brian Kelly's LSU Tigers.

It's no secret this program is in need of held in the secondary and the Transfer Portal window will be a time to add reinforcements. 

Kelly addressed last year's struggles on defense:

"We weren't a close-knit group. They hadn't played together. We saw how they played earlier in the season and how they played later in the season. It's a red flag when you have to do that. We don't believe we have to do that. Will we have to take a player here or there at a position? Most likely.

"We are much more targeted and much more focused. It's much more (focused). We were taking literally numbers on defense to right the ship relative to our defensive structure last year. We won't have to do that. We are counting 10 of 11 players with the most snaps coming back next year. Some might say that's not such a great thing. We think it is, because we have experience."

A look into three other defensive backs the Tigers are targeting as the NCAA Transfer Portal window rolls on:

The Defensive Back Big Board:

Jyaire Brown: Ohio State

Brown, a Louisiana native, entered the Transfer Portal with three years of eligibility remaining. The former four-star cornerback has received interest from several SEC programs with the Tigers certainly getting in the mix as well.

An official LSU offer hasn't been reported yet by Brown, but Kelly has harped on the importance of pursuing Louisiana natives in the portal with multiple years of eligibility.

For Brown, he checks both boxes. During his two seasons with Ohio State, he totaled nine tackles and three defended passes with the chance to take that next step with more playing time. Look for the former Top 250 prospect to become a hot commodity in the market with LSU entering the mix.

Decamerion Richardson: Mississippi State

Brian Kelly and the Tigers have shown their desire to reach out to Louisiana players in the Transfer Portal. On Wednesday, another Bayou State native entered the free agent market in Decamerion Richardson.

The Bossier City, Louisiana product spent four seasons in Starkville and will exercise his COVID year for the final season of eligibility.

LSU has already reached out to the Mississippi State native and the Tigers will certainly be a program in the mix for his services.

Richardson appeared in 45 games at Mississippi State, making 26 starts as one of the SEC West’s top cornerbacks. He tallied 177 tackles through four seasons with a sack, two tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and 10 passes broken up.

Jardin Gilbert: Texas A&M

Former Texas A&M safety Jardin Gilbert is at the top of LSU's list and could be the first Transfer Portal prospect to pop for the Tigers. The Louisiana native officially entered the portal on Tuesday and the Bayou Bengals will begin getting to work.

Gilbert played his high school ball at University High, which is located on LSU's campus. A former four-star recruit, the coveted portal prospect spent three years at Texas A&M with several potential suitors reaching out.

Safety is clearly a position of need for Kelly's program with several players being targeted in the portal. With a lack of depth and experience, the Transfer Portal will be used to the Tigers' advantage.

Look for LSU to push for Gilbert over the next few days. A player that could reveal a decision sooner rather than later, the Tigers are heavily in the mix for his services.