Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers remain active in the NCAA Transfer Portal despite hauling in 14 commitments to this point through the free agent market.
After filling positions of need over the first three-plus weeks of the window, there remains one unit that is in need of help: Safety.
LSU has seen Major Burns (2025 NFL Draft) and Sage Ryan (Transfer Portal) depart Baton Rouge already with the safety room now consisting of mainly Javien Toviano, Jardin Gilbert and Dashawn Spears.
Toviano made the move to safety last month after working at cornerback and in the STAR role during his first two seasons in Baton Rouge.
LSU has signed Virginia Tech transfer Mansoor Delane, the No. 2 cornerback in the portal, but his versatility is a key piece in his addition. He can and has played safety before where he was certainly effective.
There remains a need for help in the safety room with a lack of competition heading into the offseason.
This week, four North Carolina State defensive backs entered the portal with a pair of intriguing safeties hitting the market.
Could the Tigers get involved?
Pair of North Carolina State Safeties Enter Portal:
The North Carolina State Wolfpack saw four starting defensive backs enter the portal on Thursday with the program losing critical pieces to the secondary. Of the four departures, a pair of standout safeties entered the free agent market.
Tamarcus Cooley: Safety
The highest-rated defensive player on the North Carolina State squad in 2024, Cooley departs the program after logging 30 tackles, nine passes broken, three interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles.
“He played really well in a lot of ways,” North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren said of the redshirt-freshman safety. “In the box, setting edges, fitting in the run. Then in coverage he had number of pass breakups. He had the big interception at the end of the game. He did a good job fitting a lot of formations and surface areas. There’s a lot going on there communication-wise on motions. For a young guy to have to manage all that, it was impressive.”
He’s an immediate impact caliber player that will have a slew of schools in his ear. A 6-foot, 200-pounder, Cooley has ideal size for a defensive back where he primarily played safety. Will LSU get in the mix? Time will tell.
Bishop Fitzgerald: Safety
A player who thrived at the JUCO level, Fitzgerald bounced back as a player that was an effective piece for the Wolfpack across two seasons. He totaled 55 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups and three interceptions this year.
Fitzgerald is a one-year rental heading into the 2025 season given he has one season of eligibility remaining. He will benefit from the recent Diego Pavia ruling that gives junior college players another season of football.
“It’s been a very merry Christmas for me,” Fitzgerald told On3 Sports. “Having another year to come back and graduate, being the first person in my family to graduate from college, that’s obviously the main thing. Getting to play for another year and NIL, I’m really thankful for it all.”
Moving forward, Fitzgerald will be another interesting player to keep tabs on given LSU’s need for safety help.
The Other North Carolina State Departures: Brandon Cisse and Devan Boykin
Cisse will be a player that has significant intrigue given his versatility in the defensive backfield. He was the Wolfpack’s highest-graded piece of the secondary in 2024 after starting in nine games for North Carolina State. Cisse works in the corner slot where LSU has talent, but the program has proven they will not shy away from competition. It’ll be interesting to see if LSU gets involved.
Boykin, the fourth defensive back to enter the Transfer Portal from North Carolina State, missed the 2024 season due to injury.