Talented LSU football defender absent from fall camp

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A talented LSU football defender has been missing from the practice field and Tigers' head coach Lane Kiffin didn't have much to say when asked about it. Four-star defensive end Damien Shanklin, who signed with LSU in 2025 and remained with the program through the coaching change, has been absent from fall camp.

"He is not practicing with the team right now and that's all I can comment on that," Kiffin said at his weekly press conference.

Shanklin's absence could be due to a multitude of reasons, so we won't spend time speculating. But it's noticeable that LSU is missing a blue-chip player at a position where depth was already thin. LSU lost both defensive end starters from the 2025 squad, and Gabriel Reliford tore his ACL in spring practice. Highly touted transfers Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross are expected to be the starters, but LSU lacks experience down the depth chart.

LSU recently moved linebacker Jaiden Braker to edge rusher to help solve the depth problem. Like Shanklin, Braker was a four-star recruit in the 2025 class, but didn't play much last fall.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Talented LSU football defender absent from fall camp

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