LSU Tigers star reveals key breakout players set to replace him and step up for Brian Kelly in the 2025 college football season
The 2024 LSU Tigers college football season fell short of expectations, but Brian Kelly and his entire staff have put in the work this offseason to make sure that doesn't happen again.They've stacked their roster with the number one overall Transfer Portal class and brought in yet another strong freshman bunch. And while the team […]
The 2024 LSU Tigers college football season fell short of expectations, but Brian Kelly and his entire staff have put in the work this offseason to make sure that doesn't happen again.
They've stacked their roster with the number one overall Transfer Portal class and brought in yet another strong freshman bunch. And while the team does return plenty of intriguing players on both sides of the ball there will need to be some new breakout stars in 2025 if the LSU Tigers want to make a push to the College Football Playoff.
I talked with Bradyn Swinson (star edge defender for LSU last year) at the NFL Combine here recently and he was excited to see how LSU and the whole defense steps up this year. He was extremely confident in two players specifically who would be the difference makers in 2025: Gabriel Reliford (EDGE) and Whit Weeks (LB).
"Gabe Reliford. I got real big hopes for Gabe. That's a guy that–Gabe's a real hard working guy. He comes in to work every day, trying to get his work done. He's competitive too. Even when I was there he was trying to compete with me. When you're a senior and you've got a freshman coming in there trying to make you start working hard it gets tough. Gabe is up next."
Swinson was the clear tone-setter for the LSU defense this year off the edge, racking up nine sacks and over 60 pass rush pressures on the season. For him to feel pushed and challenged by a true freshman like Gabriel Reliford last year in his final and most impressive season is saying something.
With Swinson, Sai'vion Jones (EDGE), Parish Shand (DL), and Gio Paez (DT) all heading to the 2025 NFL Draft, the LSU Tigers will be in desperate need of breakout stars up front this year. Yes, the team added both Patrick Payton and Jack Pyburn via the Transfer Portal who figure to be key contributors, but Gabriel Reliford could be the true breakout star.
When asked about Whit Weeks, the emergent star linebacker for the LSU Tigers, Swinson couldn't help but talk him up too. He seemed extremely confident that Weeks would be a team captain in 2025.
"Whit Weeks? Oh, that's my guy. That's just a guy that's highly motivated. We're both from Georgia. I really enjoy Whit because he's a hard worker. Whit's going to make sure everybody is on the same page. I'm pretty sure he's going to be the captain at LSU this year. He's going to be a real solid candidate for that. I love playing the game with Whit. He made playing in the boundary fun. Having him right behind you was like, 'Sheesh, If I mess up, I know he's going be behind me to fix it.'"
LSU fans are obviously well aware of how special Weeks can be as he stepped up beg time following Harold Perkins' injury last fall, but he's going to be asked to play an even bigger part of the Tigers' success in 2025. And based on what Swinson had to say, he's certainly up to the task.
As LSU Spring Football is set to begin, expect Reliford, Weeks, and perhaps a few other emerging stars to step up as the Tigers have perhaps an even better roster in 2025 than they did last season.
We'll be back with more LSU Tigers coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
And if you want to hear more on Whit Weeks and his likely breakout household name generating season in 2025 just check out the video below!
