The LSU Defense: Practice Notes from Week 1 of Fall Camp for the LSU Tigers

Harold Perkins looks to lead the way for LSU's defense, several questions surrounding two units.

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers wrapped up Week 1 of Fall Camp on Saturday after a productive three-day stretch in Baton Rouge.

After getting back in a groove during the first week, all attention will shift to Week 2 where the program will put the pads on for the final few weeks.

The LSU defense had all eyes on them with position battles emerging, youngsters making names for themselves and more.

A look into both the first-team and second-team on defense, a trio of youngsters standing out and notes from Week 1:

The Rotations: First-Team and Second-Team Defense

First-Team: Sai'vion Jones (DE), Gio Paez (DT), Jacobian Guillory (DT), Da'Shawn Womack (DE), Harold Perkins (LB), Greg Penn III (LB) Ashton Stamps (CB), Sage Ryan (CB), Major Burns (STAR), Jardin Gilbert (S) and Jordan Allen (S).

Second-Team: Paris Shand (DE), Kimo Makane'ole (DT), Shone Washington (DT), Whit Weeks (LB), West Weeks (LB), PJ Woodland (CB), JK Johnson (CB), Ju'Juan Johnson (STAR), Kylin Jackson (S) and DaShawn Spears (S).

A few notes on the LSU Defense:

- Bradyn Swinson (EDGE) and Jalen Lee (DT) missed the first three days of camp with excused absences. Both players are working towards their degrees and missed for academic reasons. They are expected to return on Monday.

- Swinson will be a player working on the edge opposite of Sai'vion Jones. Expect him to be thrust into first-team reps sooner rather than later once back in a groove.

- With Swinson and Jones as the first-team edge rushers, sophomore Da'Shawn Womack will be working his way to first-team reps, but will primarily be the focal point of the second-team.

- PJ Woodland, Ashton Stamps and Kylin Jackson all recorded interceptions on Day 1 of Fall Camp on Thursday. The trio fo youngsters are showing out and were bright spots during Week 1.

- Freshman safety DaShawn Spears will be hard to keep off of the field in Year 1. He's shined this offseason after enrolling early in January and has carried his success into August.

- Five-star freshman Dominick McKinley looks the full 6-foot-6, 315 pounds he is listed at. LSU is working him in slowly and allowing the summer enrollee to develop rather than throw him in the fire instantly in Week 1.

- Both safety and cornerback will be intriguing position battles to watch. Ashton Stamps can be pencilled in as a starter at cornerback, but the other slot has a slew of options. Both Zy Alexander and Javien Toviano are back in the mix after working out on Friday. Expect to see Alexander, Toviano, Woodland, Sage Ryan and JK Johnson to all push for that second cornerback spot.

- At safety, Jordan Allen and Jardin Gilbert were with the first-team, but this group will be interesting to watch. Look for Sage Ryan, DaShawn Spears, Kylin Jackson and others to compete here throughout August.

Week 1 Notes on the LSU DL:

1st Team:
DT: Gio Paez + J. Guillory
EDGE: Sai’vion Jones + D. Womack

Absentees:
DE: B. Swinson
DT: J. Lee
Both are expected to return on Monday.

5-star freshman Dominick McKinley looks a full 6’6, 315 pounds.

Bo Davis is working several rotations. pic.twitter.com/p5JF8euHao

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) August 4, 2024

Three Youngsters Standing Out

Ashton Stamps: Sophomore Cornerback

Sophomore cornerback Ashton Stamps can be pencilled in as a starter for the Tigers in 2024. The Louisiana native has carried his momentum into Fall Camp after a productive spring where he took first-team reps.

Now, fast forward to August and Stamps is back as LSU's CB1.

It's early in camp, but the second-year Tiger has certainly looked the part. He reeled in an interception on Day 1 after laying out for an impressive pick during 7-on-7 work.

Stamps has been a standout and will be a name to monitor as he progresses under Corey Raymond ahead of Year 2 in Baton Rouge.

PJ Woodland: Freshman Cornerback

Woodland burst on the scene as an early-enrollee during Spring Camp after skyrocketing up the Depth Chart.

He worked his way up to first-team duties, and after a productive offseason, he's firmly in the mix as a player who can earn a starting cornerback role alongside Stamps.

Woodland is currently working with the second-team with JK Johnson, but this cornerback battle will be one that goes deep into camp.

Kelly and Co. are eyeing consistency with Woodland through preseason practice and believe he has what it takes to reach that next level.

“I think we’re at a point where we’re looking at the consistency of the performance,” Kelly said after day one of camp. “We like PJ and we love his competitiveness, but if you remember, he made a great play, then the next play, we threw the ball over his head. With young players, we’re looking for consistency.

"He’s got huge upside and he’s going to be a really good player in the SEC, but in the SEC, if you make one good play they’re coming back at you and they’re going to test you. We have to test the mettle of our young players and see their consistency, or Ashton Stamps’ consistency, or Trey’Dez, or whoever we roll out there. That’s what we’re looking for, can they double down on good performances. Can they be a Will Campbell who, everyday when he was a freshman, you knew what you were going to get. He was going to give you a consistent performance every day.”

Kylin Jackson: Redshirt-Freshman Safety

Second-year Tiger Kylin Jackson will be a name to keep tabs on in the secondary for the program this offseason.

He made a name for himself in the Spring Game where he made play after play with the second-team, but don't be surprised if he sees the field in an expanded role in 2024.

Jackson redshirted in his first season with the program in 2023, but now back and healthy, he'll look to earn snaps in both the STAR role behind Major Burns as well as safety snaps behind both Jardin Gilbert and Jordan Allen.

He's a Swiss Army Knife with immense potential in the secondary and showed that during Week 1 of camp.

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