Multiple LSU Football Transfer Portal Signees Arrive in Baton Rouge to Move-In

Brian Kelly and Co. set to bring in 14 Transfer Portal signees, beginning to arrive in Baton Rouge.

Mississippi State's quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the Egg Bowl game against Mississippi at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU football staff will welcome double-digit newcomers over the next few days with additions via the NCAA Transfer Portal heading to Baton Rouge this weekend.

The Tigers will also bring in 13 early-enrollees this weekend with the true freshmen set to move into their living situations.

LSU saw 19 members of the 2024 roster depart campus via the portal, but with 14 transfer additions paired with 13 early-enrollees, it'll be a new-look roster come spring camp.

Kelly and Co. currently hold the No. 1 Transfer Portal Class with the program's sights set on adding even more elite-level talent to the haul.

Now, LSU has seen multiple transfers confirm their move to Baton Rouge after a trio landed in town on Thursday.

Trio of Signees Arrive in Baton Rouge:

QB Michael Van Buren: Mississippi State Bulldogs

The transfer signal-caller will join the Tigers after one season in Starkville where he completed his true freshman campaign.

Van Buren recently wrapped up his lone season at Mississippi State where he started the final eight games of the season for the Bulldogs.

In 10 appearances as a true freshman in 2024, Van Buren completed 140-of-256 passes for 1,886 yards and 11 touchdowns. He added another five rushing TDs for the Bulldogs.

He was named SEC Freshman of the Week against Georgia when he completed 20-of-37 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns.

The Georgia contest began a three-game stretch for Van Buren where he threw for eight touchdowns. He followed the Georgia game with 242 passing yards and three touchdowns against Texas A&M and then threw for a career-best 309 yards and two scores against Arkansas.

He closed his rookie season at Mississippi State with 280 passing yards and two TDs (1 rushing, 1 passing) against Ole Miss.

Van Buren was a four-star recruit from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, choosing Mississippi State over Oregon. He helped St. Frances Academy to back-to-back national Top 10 finishes in 2021 and 2022.

CB Ja'Keem Jackson: Florida Gators

Jackson comes to LSU after two years at Florida where he appeared in 13 games recording 11 tackles, four pass breakups and a quarterback hurry.

He started the first two games of the 2024 season at cornerback for Florida before an ankle injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

In 2023 as a true freshman, Jackson appeared in 11 games, tallying seven tackles and three pass breakups

A native of Kissimmee, Fla., Jackson was a consensus four-star prospect at Osceola High School where he was named an ESPN Top 300 player and rated as the nation’s No. 3 overall cornerback by On3. As a senior, he helped lead his team to a 10-4 record and a semifinal appearance in the Florida high school playoffs.

DT Sydir Mitchell: Texas Longhorns

The 6-foot-6, 350-pound New Jersey native signed with the Longhorns in the 2023 Recruiting Class with impressive expectations.

At the time, current LSU defensive line coach Bo Davis was on staff with Texas where he recruited Mitchell to Austin.

With Davis now on staff with the Tigers in Baton Rouge, the relationship he ultimately built with Mitchell two years ago paved the way for LSU to win out here.

The young defensive lineman with limited mileage played in only nine games with the Longhorns, including four games in 2024 to maintain redshirt status.

He totaled seven tackles during his time in Austin. Mitchell will have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Who have the Tigers gained commitments from?

The Additions on Offense (7):
- TE Bauer Sharp: Oklahoma
- WR Barion Brown: Kentucky
- QB Michael Van Buren: Mississippi State
- WR Destyn Hill: Florida State
- WR Nic Anderson: Oklahoma
- OL Braelin Moore: Virginia Tech
- OL Josh Thompson: Northwestern

The Additions on Defense (6):
- CB Ja'Keem Jackson: Florida
- EDGE Jimari Butler: Nebraska
- EDGE Jack Pyburn: Florida
- CB Mansoor Delane: Virginia Tech
- DL Sydir Mitchell: Texas
- EDGE Patrick Payton: Florida State

The Special Teams Additions (1):
Punter Grant Chadwick: Middle Tennessee

More LSU News:

LSU Adds Commitments From Seven Top-100 Transfers in the Portal

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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