The State of the LSU Football Tight End Room Following Transfer Portal Moves

The Tigers will have a new-look tight end room, multiple newcomers heading to Baton Rouge this offseason.

Sep 21, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers tight end Trey'Dez Green (14) runs after a catch against the UCLA Bruins during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU staff continue retooling the roster in December with several new pieces set to arrive in Baton Rouge in the coming weeks.

Kelly and Co. are up to 13 commitments via the NCAA Transfer Portal while the program fills positions of need through the free agent market.

One position of need for the Tigers quickly became in the tight end room with the program losing star Mason Taylor to the 2025 NFL Draft.

For LSU, the first addition via the portal came in the tight end room, but where does this unit currently stand? Who's in? Who's out? Could more additions be on the way?

The State of the LSU Tight End Room:

The Returning Piece: Trey'Dez Green

The lone returning piece in the LSU tight end room will be current true freshman Trey'Dez Green.

The 6-foot-7, 245-pounder was utilized in a myriad of ways during his first season with the program as both a tight end and wideout, but moving forward, appears his bread and butter will be at the tight end role.

“The end line blocking is probably the area that we are most impressed with,” Kelly said of Green’s development during bowl preparation. “His want to and willingness to go in there and do some of the tough jobs. We are pretty excited about what’s he’s doing, how he’s doing and his demeanor because that’s an easy job to turn down and he’s been great.”

Green finished his first season in the purple and gold with seven receptions for 48 yards with a pair of touchdowns. He will be the lone tight end on LSU's roster during the Dec. 31 bowl matchup against the Baylor Bears.

The 2025 Signee: JD LaFleur

The LSU Bio: One of the nation’s top high school tight ends … 3-star prospect from Sulphur High School in Sulphur, La. … Ranked as high as No. 8 at his position by ESPN and No. 12 overall in Louisiana by Rivals … In the On3 composite, ranked No. 18 in Louisiana and as the No. 25 tight end nationally … Caught 44 passes for 575 yards and 6 touchdowns as a junior … Hauled in 13 passes for 229 yards as a freshman … Four-year member of the Sulphur basketball team … … Son of former LSU All-America and first-round NFL Draft pick David LaFleur … His dad earned first-team All-America honors from Walter Camp in 1996 … He was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection (1994, 1996) … Coached at Sulphur by Cody Gueringer.

The Transfer Addition: Bauer Sharp

LSU signed former Oklahoma tight end Bauer Sharp earlier this month once the coveted transfer went public with a decision to join the Tigers. He's coming off of a year after leading the Sooners in receptions (42) and receiving yards (324) in 2024.

Look for Sharp to come in and be a versatile piece for the LSU offense in both the receiving and blocking game. Brian Kelly raved about his physicality in the run-game. It'll be how he's used most in 2025.

"He's a talented player with physicality; especially in the run game. If you watch him closely, some of the things they did with him in the passing game, we've seen from other tight ends," Kelly said of Sharp on Friday after the signing was made official.

"If you really look at his body of work, it's the physicality in the run game. Pulling, blocking tackles, being out on the perimeter. Love his physicality in the run-game. Still, a very good athlete. He came in as a quarterback at Southeast Louisiana. He has the ability to do some really good things for us in the passing game as well."

The Departures: Mason Taylor and Ka'Morreun Pimpton

LSU tight end Mason Taylor will depart Baton Rouge after electing to enter the 2025 NFL Draft following three impressive seasons with LSU.

Taylor's loss is a critical one for the LSU program after quickly becoming the most productive tight end in LSU history.

The numbers year-by-year:
Year 1: 38 catches, 414 yards + 3 TD
Year 2: 36 catches, 348 yards + 1 TD
Year 3: 55 catches, 546 yards + 2 TD

Taylor departs Baton Rouge as leader in receptions by a tight end and yards by a tight end in LSU history.

For Pimpton, the former Top-5 tight end in America made the decision to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal once the window officially opened on Dec. 9.

The four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class signed with the Tigers over Vanderbilt and a number of other programs during his process.

Now, he departs Baton Rouge after two seasons with the program where he served as the primary backup to LSU great Mason Taylor.

The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder was set to take on an expanded role with Taylor departing for the 2025 NFL Draft, but with both now gone, it leaves LSU with one scholarship tight end in Trey'Dez Green.

In two seasons with the Tigers, Pimpton tallied seven receptions for 80 yards and zero touchdowns.

Now, after visiting Louisville and TCU, Pimpton has made his decision. He will head back home to the Lone Star State and suit up for the TCU Horned Frogs for the 2025 season.

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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