Five players LSU football can't let hit the transfer portal

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Lane Kiffin is settling in as LSU football’s head coach. With the Early Signing Period complete, the next step in forming the 2026 roster is the transfer portal.

Kiffin earned the reputation of “Portal King” at Ole Miss thanks to the Rebels’ aggressive and efficient approach in the portal. Ole Miss went after big names and sought value adds. With LSU’s resources, Kiffin is expected to take a similarly aggressive approach.

But before LSU goes out to get new players, the Tigers need to do their best at retaining the stars they already have. LSU went 7-5 in 2025 — this isn’t a roster loaded with NFL talent top to bottom, but there are players good enough to be centerpieces of elite teams.

LSU’s 2024 signing class was strong and there’s a core of young talent that needs to be retained. If LSU holds onto its best players and adds a strong crop in the portal, Kiffin can accelerate the rebuild.

Let’s look at five players LSU can’t afford to lose in the transfer portal.

1. Cornerback DJ Pickett

Pickett was the star of LSU’s 2025 signing class — he was a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the country. Pickett earned immediate playing time and delivered on those high expectations.

According to PFF, Pickett posted a 79.8 defensive grade, which ranked No. 6 among all SEC cornerbacks. Standing at 6’4′, Pickett has rare size and physicality for a corner. He’s a perfect fit for Blake Baker’s defense, which relies on man coverage in the secondary.

With a coaching transition, there were some initial concerns that Pickett would hit the portal. But Kiffin convinced LSU DC Blake Baker to stick around, which means LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond isn’t going anywhere, either. As long as Raymond is in Baton Rouge, Pickett will be too.

2. Tight-end Trey’Dez Green

Green was a five-star recruit in 2024, but didn’t see a ton of time as a freshman. In 2025, Green became a much bigger part of the Tigers’ offense. LSU lacked true pass-catching playmakers this fall, but Green gave the Tigers a matchup nightmare.

Standing at 6’7′, Green is always open. Few defenders have the size or athleticism to compete with the LSU tight end for jump balls. Green can run, too, showing off some yards after the catch ability.

Green lacked consistency, and drops became an issue later in the year, but the talent is obvious. Kiffin and staff excel at finding the best way to use dynamic playmakers like Green and he’ll put up big numbers in 2026.

3. Running back Harlem Berry

Berry joined Pickett as five-stars in LSU’s 2025 recruiting class. Berry’s impact wasn’t as pronounced as his defensive counterpart, but the running back flashed when he got the chance.

Berry ran for 436 yards on 101 carries, catching eight passes for 32 yards. Berry averaged 3.24 yards after contact per carry and brought an element of explosiveness to LSU’s run game. Kiffin had some prolific running backs at Ole Miss and Berry has the potential to put up similar numbers in Kiffin’s offense at LSU.

4. Defensive tackle Dominick McKinley

LSU’s defensive front was one of the best in the SEC in 2025 and a lot of credit belongs to LSU’s interior defensive line.

McKinley was a key part of LSU’s defensive tackle rotation, playing 322 snaps. He racked up seven pressures and a sack while making seven stops and seven tackles. As usual with defensive linemen, stats don’t tell the whole story.

McKinley is versatile. He’s big enough to play a one-tech but athletic enough to play a three-tech. He can play as a penetrator or take on two gaps and double-teams. McKinley’s younger brother, Darryus, decommitted from LSU and signed with Ohio State. The Tigers are hoping Dominick doesn’t follow.

5. Guard Coen Echols

LSU’s offensive line was a weak link in 2025. It was hard for the group to find any consistency, but youngster Coen Echols was a bright spot. Echols wasn’t in the original Week 1 starting five. He made his way into the lineup as the room dealt with injuries. Once he got his chance, he remained a constant on LSU’s offense.

Echols made his first start in Week 7 and started every remaining game. He allowed just one sack while showing potential as a run blocker. Fundamentally, Echols looked far ahead of the other underclassmen offensive linemen on this team.

It’s unclear if Echols has superstar potential like some others on this list, but LSU needs all it can get on the offensive line. Holding onto Echols is key.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Five players LSU football can’t let hit the transfer portal

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