The LSU football staff welcomed several fresh faces to Baton Rouge last weekend with the remaining 2024 signees making their way to campus alongside the spring window Transfer Portal additions.
For the Tigers, that meant reinforcements in a few key areas made their way down South to help the program this offseason.
Headlined by the No. 1 player in Louisiana, Dominick McKinley, the purple and gold will get a boost in the right direction with summer workouts getting started.
Here's a look into three summer enrollees who have a chance to make an impact this fall for the Bayou Bengals:
Dominick McKinley: Defensive Tackle
The five-star prospect made his long-awaited arrival to Baton Rouge with the Louisiana native making his way to campus over the weekend.
McKinley, one of the top defensive linemen in America, will now have the chance to step in and make a difference in a razor thin defensive line room.
During spring camp, LSU worked with just a handful of scholarship players up front, but with the addition of McKinley and Transfer Portal signees Gio Paez (Wisconsin) and Jay'Viar Suggs (Grand Valley State), reinforcements are here.
For McKinley, the expectations are high.
He's remained disciplined this offseason with sources telling LSU Country he's already up to 315 pounds. For comparison, McKinley was hovering around the 280-290 pound mark during his senior year of high school.
LSU is currently rolling with Jacobian Guillory as one of the starting defensive tackles with the other spot wide open for business this summer.
We'll see McKinley, Paez, Suggs and Jalen Lee compete this summer into fall camp for that starting spot, but expect McKinley to be a player who makes an impact this fall.
Whether he starts or not, he'll certainly see the field in one way or another in Year 1 with the program.
Gio Paez: Defensive Tackle
The talk of the town all offseason was LSU's inability to lock in defensive tackles via the NCAA Transfer Portal. After swinging and missing on the top targets in Damonic Williams and Simeon Barrow, it raised questions about the Tigers' portal recruiting/NIL scheme.
During the madness, LSU had already reeled in one defensive tackle through the free agent market in Wisconsin's Gio Paez.
He isn't a flashy player by any means, but Paez attains experience with an opportunity to showcase that this fall. After five seasons with Wisconsin, he'll play his final season of eligibility in Baton Rouge.
Look for both transfers in Paez and Suggs push for immediate playing time this fall with a fresh-faced defensive tackle room.
Kylan Billiot: Wide Receiver
Yes, LSU has already established Kyren Lacy as WR1, Chris Hilton as a key piece and transfers CJ Daniels and Zavion Thomas as pivotal players to the wide receiver room. Not to mention Kyle Parker and Shelton Sampson as emerging pieces to the rotation.
But summer enrollee Kylan Billiot will be one to keep tabs on.
Billiot flew up the rankings during his senior campaign, which ultimately provided him with an opportunity to partake in the All-American Bowl in Texas earlier this year.
While there, he proved he can hang with the best. He's a sleeper pick for sure, but a guy who has an opportunity to turn heads in Baton Rouge.
LSU has a track record of Louisiana wideouts stealing the spotlight during their time in Death Valley and Billiot has the chance to be up next if all goes accordingly.
It's a star-studded, loaded wideout room this season, but expect Billiot to be a guy who emerges, even if it's in limited action.
Honorable Mention: Caden Durham (Running Back)
LSU will roll with Josh Williams and Kaleb Jackson as its one-two punch this offseason, and with the status of redshirt freshman Trey Holly up in the air, it could mean Caden Durham sees early playing time.
The Tigers signed Durham, a four-star, Top 10 running back in America, this offseason with high expectations falling on his shoulders.
He's a speedster who proved his value while playing against the best of the best in Texas during high school. Durham played for powerhouse Duncanville throughout high school with the chance to carry his prep success to the college game.
It's no secret LSU has the talent to compete for a College Football Playoff spot this season and we could see fresh faces play a pivotal role in their success come the 2024 season down South.
Other LSU News:
NCAA Tournament Bound: LSU Baseball's Regional Site Revealed on Monday
The Betting Odds: What are LSU's Chances of Winning the College World Series?
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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Country: @LSUCountry_FN for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.
ZACK NAGY
Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics.
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