LSU’s Top 40 Players in 2023: No. 5-3
The month of July brings more offseason content previewing the 2023 season and here we continue our series ranking the top 40 players on the team entering the 2023 season, an exercise to inspire discussion, debate, and thoughts on the team.
This is the second to last part of the series, with players 5-3. This list is an average of the Bengal Tiger staff’s individual list. Reminder: The list is based on talent over value, ranking the 40 best players on the roster.
Let us know what you think on our board.
So far: 40-36, 35-31, 30-26, 25-21, 20-17, 16-13, 12-9, 8-6
5. Will Campbell
LSU freshman lineman Will Campbell. (Terrill Weil – On3)
Sophomore offensive lineman from Monroe, Louisiana
Bengal Tiger staff rankings
Matthew: 5 / Shea: 5 / Billy: 5
Recruiting profile
2022 Recap
Campbell was one of the best offensive freshmen in the country in 2022, being named to the Freshman All-American team, second Team All-SEC, the All-SEC Freshman team, and the LSU Offensive Lineman of the Year. Campbell stepped in and started day one at LSU partly because of a complete rebuild on the offensive line, but also because he was an incredibly talented prospect. He was a top 40 player on the On3 Composite and exceeded all expectations, holding down the left tackle spot the entire season and thriving. He was whistled for only one penalty in 882 offensive snaps last year.
2023 Outlook
In theory, there should not be much different about Campbell’s season this year compared to last. He’s going to start every game for LSU at left tackle, play at an All-SEC first-team level, and be one of the best players on this team. The next step for him is to be seen as a first-round talent for the 2025 NFL Draft. That buzz will come naturally as he continues to work, improve, and deliver on the field.
4. Malik Nabers
LSU receiver Malik Nabers gestures after a catch in a game against UAB on Nov. 19, 2022. (Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
Junior wide receiver from Youngsville, Louisiana
Bengal Tiger staff rankings
Matthew: 3 / Shea: 4 / Billy: 3
Recruiting profile
2022 Recap
Nabers showed flashes in 2021 as a true freshman, but in 2022, he took off, becoming the best receiver and the most reliable weapon for the Tigers’ offense. He finished the year with 1,017 yards, three touchdowns, and 72 receptions, a year that was predictable for those who watched him in spring and fall camp. The hands and route running are what separates him, but the elusiveness flashes after the catch as well. The work ethic has also played a major factor in his ability to improve and step into the WR1 role for LSU.
2023 Outlook
Nabers leads one of the best receiver rooms in the SEC and will be tabbed as a preseason all-conference player. He’s a safe bet to eclipse 1,000 yards again this year, and the touchdown numbers will naturally rise as well as Daniels gets more aggressive in the pass game. Nabers is incredibly well-rounded, but this year he’ll show NFL scouts that he’s more than just a possession receiver with great hands. Nabers averages 14.3 yards per reception for his career and I’d expect that number to take a jump forward in 2023 with an All-SEC first team caliber season. With Nabers, Brian Thomas, Kyren Lacy, and several potent rotation pieces, it sets up for another dynamic receiving corps for LSU this year.
3. Jayden Daniels
(Bachman/Getty Images)
Senior quarterback from San Bernardino, California
Bengal Tiger staff rankings
Matthew: 2 / Shea: 3 / Billy: 4
Recruiting profile
2022 Recap
Daniels’ 2022 was a rollercoaster ride for him and LSU fans. He transferred to LSU right before fall camp, sparking a fascinating quarterback competition with Myles Brennan and Garrett Nussmeier. He wins the job in the fall, has several ups and downs throughout the 2022 season, then when the season is over, we could all look back and appreciate the year for what it was.
Daniels completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 2,913 yards, 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Pair that, with his 885 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and we’re talking about one of the more efficient players in college football. A lot was made of his limitations throwing the ball down the field as he ended the season with his lowest yards per attempt in his career at 7.5, but considering what this team needed, I’d argue it was overblown. The 2022 team was a run-first team that could not afford to turn the ball over and could not come back from those types of mistakes (Tennessee & Georgia). The defense was excellent for the most part, the offensive line was rotating early in the year, and he still wasn’t on the same page as his receivers for most of the season, so Daniels played to the strengths of that team perfectly.
2023 Outlook
The limitations for the 2022 team should not hinder this team in 2023. The offensive line is set. Daniels has now been with offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and the receiver corps for a full year, and now it’s time to expand his game. That starts with forcing the issue down the field. For most of Daniels’ career he hasn’t had an issue with the long ball, but with the stakes in the SEC, he has to be comfortable making tough throws.
LSU fans and media are no longer judging players on this team as just being good enough. The standard now is getting to the college football playoff and competing for a national title. That’s why the next step for Daniels is so important. This is the case for everyone, but Daniels specifically has to take the next step because it would be the most impactful improvement in this 2023 season. Get a season where he pairs a versatile passing game with his incredible speed and agility as a runner and we’re talking about a quarterback that NFL teams are going to take in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft.
That is also the quarterback that would give LSU a shot to win a national championship.
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