LSU Football Safety Kary Vincent Opting Out of 2020 Season

Vincent joins defensive lineman Neil Farrell as the second player to opt out of 2020

LSU senior safety Kary Vincent announced Monday morning he will not participate in the 2020 season for the purple and gold. Vincent joins fellow senior Neil Farrell as the only two Tiger players to opt out of the season. 

Thank You¡ pic.twitter.com/423fFdyJ3C

— . (@__KCINCO) August 17, 2020

“With thoughtful prayer and lengthy discussions with my family, we feel that is is in my best interest to opt out of my final year at LSU and begin training for the NFL Combine,” Vincent wrote in a statement on Twitter. “I have worked long and hard for the opportunity to play in the NFL. I’m humbled and excited about attacking this next challenge with humility, integrity, and dignity and I will always be Forever LSU.”

While Farrell intends on playing out his final season for LSU in 2021, Vincent will spend the coming months preparing for the NFL Draft. 

“We feel that it is in my best interest to opt out of my final year at LSU and and begin training for the NFL Combine,” Vincent wrote.

Known as one of the fastest players on the team as he also stars on the track team, Vincent's athleticism has him a likely day two or day three pick next year. 

The loss of Vincent hurts from an experience and depth perspective for the Tigers. Vincent played in 14 games with eight starts during the 2019 national championship run, primarily in the nickel slot corner position. 

Vincent finished the 2019 season with 44 tackles, two tackles for loss, four interceptions and 13 passes defended. His interception in the Peach Bowl game against Oklahoma was one of the defining plays of the game.

Former LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu also responded to the news of Vincent’s departure.

Big loss. Whose gonna step up?

— Tyrann Mathieu (@Mathieu_Era) August 17, 2020

While his loss is certainly significant, LSU has young options that will certainly now have to step up. Even before Vincent announced his intent to sit out 2020, coach Ed Orgeron was toying with the idea of moving sophomore Cordale Flott into that nickel role and have freshman Elias Ricks start on the outside opposite Derek Stingley Jr.

That could certainly be the way Orgeron and the coaching staff look now with Vincent gone but also keep an eye on Jay Ward or Raydarious Jones for that outside corner spot as well.

"Him [Cordale] and Ricks are going to be battling that position and Raydarious Jones. We didn't have enough in spring ball. We've got Cordale listed as a starter right now, but Elias Ricks is going to come on strong," Orgeron said on Off the Bench. "I could see Cordale maybe going to the nickel and Elias, as you know we go nickel 75 percent of the time, I can see Elias starting at corner."