Insider Notes: Which summer arrivals are standing out?

The LSU football staff signed a Top 5 class on the On3 Industry Team Rankings for the 2023 recruiting cycle.

In head coach Brian Kelly’s first full season on the recruiting trail, the Tigers landed some elite prospects from the Bayou State, but also plucked some top talent from around the country.

Prospects like five-star Dashawn Womack were on campus this spring, but the summer brought the rest of the signing class into Baton Rouge to join the team for workouts ahead of the 2023 season.

Here are five names we’ve circled to keep an eye on after speaking with sources around the LSU program.

Ka’Morreun Pimpton – The next name up at TE

Texas four-star Ka’Morren Pimpton finished as a Top 100 prospect and the nation’s No. 4 tight end prospect on On3. His catch radius is off the charts, he’s got elite length and is a legit 6-foot-6. After Pimpton arrived to campus, the push to bulk up his frame began. From everyone I’ve spoken with, Pimpton has a great chance to get playing time this year. Mason Taylor is TE1 at LSU, but with the addition of JUCO tight end Connor Gilbreath as a blocker, the Tigers can now lean on the tight ends in the passing game more often. That’s great news for Pimpton in Year 1. From a recruiting to production standpoint, Pimpton will be what the Tigers hoped to get from former signee Arik Gilbert – who spent less than a year on campus in Baton Rouge before transferring.

Zalance Heard – LSU reloads with a 5-star

The Tigers started a pair of true freshmen at offensive tackle in 2022. Will Campbell is locked into his starting spot at left tackle, while Emery Jones continues to take first-team reps at right tackle. That said, offensive line coach Brad Davis loves to shuffle up his first five in fall camp to get a feel for what the Tigers have. We’ve heard nothing but good things on Zalance Heard since his arrival to campus, with the main focus on diving deep into work with the strength and conditioning staff. The summer months should set Heard up well for fall camp, which will be his chance to prove he can get early looks this fall in Baton Rouge. The Tigers have better offensive line depth than they did a year ago, and each season LSU has to tap into the next man up – whether due to performance or injury. Heard has some high expectations on his shoulders given his combination of raw strength and talent.

DJ Chester – Early playing time coming?

If there is one summer arrival who sources mentioned the most, it’s DJ Chester. This is a big steal for the Tigers out of Georgia, and after getting to see him in person, the staff is even higher on what Chester will bring to the program. Chester looks great physically, going from 335 pounds in high school to a current weight of around 315 pounds. Some feel he’s already one of LSU’s best looking offensive linemen when it comes to how he’s reshaped his body. The Tigers have some talent on the interior, but Chester is going to give the returning starters a battle in fall camp. It won’t be a surprise at all to see Chester in the lineup at some point this season.

Kaleb Jackson – Healthy and ready to roll, once again

Kaleb Jackson went down with a leg injury in the first game of his senior season, and he wasn’t able to get back on the field the rest of the way. But that’s zero concern at this stage. The proof: he clocked a personal best 10.61 100-yard dash in spring competition, and did so at 218 pounds. Sure, LSU has eight scholarship running backs on roster. But running backs coach Frank Wilson won’t be afraid to let a true freshman get touches if he can be trusted. Fall camp will be huge for Jackson, who has some of the biggest upside in the room. The returns from summer, to this point, have been great.

Shelton Sampson – The future is bright at WR

LSU wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton hauled in a great recruiting class a year ago. He signed Shelton Sampson and Khai Prean out of Louisiana, then went to Florida for Jalen Brown and Texas for Kyle Parker. Parker and Brown were both on campus in January, while Sampson and Prean arrived this summer. After seeing Prean this month, it’s evident he’s already bulked up in a great way this summer. As for Sampson, the buzz is he brings something different to the table as part of the foursome. He’s got a similar game to LSU junior Brian Thomas, and his speed is evident when going through summer workouts. The Tigers have a trio of proven receivers in Malik Nabers, Kyren Lacy and Thomas, but Sampson is going to have a chance to get some early run as a true freshman this fall.

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