LSU Football: Incoming Freshmen Most Likely to Start This Season
Few schools have had as much recruiting success as LSU in the past decade. This past recruiting cycle was no exception as head coach Les Miles secured the No. 5-ranked recruiting class in the country.
With the level of talent being brought in on a yearly basis, there are a few freshmen every season who make an early impression and earn immediate playing time at the next level.
2014 featured significant contributions from several talented freshman for LSU. Leonard Fournette and Malachi Dupre turned out to be two of the Tigers' most dangerous offensive threats in their freshman seasons.
2015 should be no different in terms of freshmen contribution in Baton Rouge. Key members of the 2015 recruiting class will look to make an early impact, and redshirt freshmen will be eager to contribute after sitting out their first season.
LSU's depth at every position will make it difficult for any freshman to earn a starting job. But some freshmen will have an excellent opportunity to make their presence felt early on.
Here are the freshmen most likely to earn a starting spot in 2015.
Tyron Johnson, Wide Receiver
1 of 5
LSU saw significant contributions from two freshman receivers a year ago in Malachi Dupre and John Diarse, who were the team's second- and third-leading receivers.
Dupre and Diarse will join Travin Dural this season to make up a strong returning receiving corps. Even with the depth that LSU has at receiver, there's still room for another contributor to work his way into the mix.
Tyron Johnson was a 5-star prospect coming out of high school and was also the top player in the state of Louisiana.
Johnson has electrifying speed and great hands. He's simply too talented of a player for LSU to let sit on the bench this season.
NFL.com's Bryan Fisher ranked him No. 6 on his "15 for '15" list of impact freshmen in college football.
Fisher wrote about Johnson: "Like Dupre, Johnson is a blue-chipper from New Orleans who should immediately be in the fold at receiver due to his terrific quickness and hands. There have been plenty of Odell Beckham Jr. comparisons for Johnson, and while he might not live up to that hype, he'll help a young offense grow."
It remains to be seen if Johnson will force his way into a starting spot. But he'll certainly be no stranger to the field in 2015.
Garrett Brumfield, Offensive Line
2 of 5
LSU has some reshuffling to do on the offensive line after losing starting left tackle La'el Collins. In his redshirt freshman season, Garrett Brumfield has a chance to take over one of the spots at guard.
Brumfield came to Baton Rouge as one of only two offensive signees in the 2014 recruiting class. He sat out his first season as a Tiger but has already worked toward a possible starting position in his first year on the field .
Returning starter Ethan Pocic figures to lock down one of starting guard spots. The competition for the other spot on the interior is still wide-open. Brumfield will compete with other offensive linemen such as K.J. Malone and Josh Boutte.
247Sports' Sonny Shipp identified Garrett Brumfield as a good fit for the Tigers on the offensive line.
"Garrett Brumfield (6'4", 309 lbs) is as athletic as any Tiger lineman and he would give LSU a little more size inside," Shipp wrote. "He is also a more natural fit at guard than Malone and would give LSU its most athletic interior lineman since Trai Turner."
The position battles on the offensive line could last all the way up until LSU's season opener against McNeese State.
David Ducre, Fullback/Running Back
3 of 5
There aren't any questions about whom LSU's starting running back will be this season. After a strong freshman campaign, Leonard Fournette will be the man in the backfield for the Tigers.
But LSU brought in a impressive trio of ball-carriers in the 2015 recruiting class, including Derrius Guice and Nick Brossette. However, true freshman David Ducre will have the best chance to play in the early going because of his ability to play running back and fullback.
The fullback has almost become extinct from college football in some spread offenses. But nobody should tell that to Les Miles or offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.
LSU utilizes a fullback effectively as a blocker and ball-carrier in its running game.
Ducre was the top-rated fullback in the country out of high school and became the only scholarship fullback on LSU's roster when he enrolled early for spring practice.
LSU likes to use a running back-by-committee system in the backfield. Last season, three different running backs received at least 90 carries during the year.
At 5'11", 238 pounds, Ducre can be a bruising power back in addition to utilizing his blocking skills.
247Sports' Shea Dixon broke down the fullback situation for LSU, including where Ducre fits in: "Ducre will battle walk-on fullback J.D. Moore for the starting job this spring, and it’s likely that running backs coach Frank Wilson uses Ducre as both a fullback and running back next fall."
Ducre's top competition for the starting job at fullback will be Moore.
Kevin Toliver II, Cornerback
4 of 5
Kevin Toliver II was LSU's highest-rated signing in the 2015 class, rated as the No. 8 overall prospect in the country.
Toliver enrolled early, and it didn't take long for him to make an impression in the spring, per Shipp. He worked his way into the two-deep during spring ball and continues to fight for a spot in the starting lineup.
Secondary is probably the area of most depth for LSU. The Tigers will return most of the key players from a secondary that gave up only 2,134 passing yards in 2014.
Toliver will battle Ed Paris for a starting position at cornerback. Regardless of whether Toliver wins that battle, he's another example of a player who is too talented to keep off the field.
He'll certainly contribute as a true freshman even if it's mainly on special teams duty.
Toliver has elite coverage skills and also imposing size for a cornerback, standing at 6'2" and 185 pounds.
There's little doubt that Toliver will become the next great cornerback at the school that produced names like Patrick Peterson, Morris Claiborne and Tyrann Mathieu. The only question is if Toliver will step into that role this season or if it will take more time.
William Clapp, Offensive Line
5 of 5
William Clapp might be the only freshman to start for LSU if the college football season began tomorrow.
He's seems to be the favorite to win the starting job at center for the Tigers.
Clapp came to LSU out of New Orleans and redshirted in his first year on campus. Clapp now has his sights set on jumping into the starting lineup in his redshirt freshman season.
247Sports' Shea Dixon named him as the starting center in his depth-chart projection in May. He was the only true or redshirt freshman projected on either first-team unit.
Clapp will battle Andy Dodd for the chance to replace Elliott Porter on the offensive line. If Clapp can be effective in the center spot, it will keep Ethan Pocic from having to slide inside, and he can stay at his natural guard position.
Like Pocic, Clapp also has the versatility to kick out and play guard. Even if he doesn't win a starting job, that versatility will help him get on the field in 2015.
Although LSU has ample depth and returning experience at multiple positions, offensive line isn't one of them. The open opportunity on the line gives Clapp a better chance to start this fall than any other LSU freshman.
All recruiting information from 247Sports. Stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
.jpg?w=600 "NFL star fakes injury at Savannah Bananas game")
.png?w=600 "Landing Spots For NBA Free Agents ✈️")
