LSU and Brian Kelly continue to make strides in recruiting. While Kelly’s recruiting staff previously had limited ties to the state, which may have contributed to a slump in earlier classes, that no longer seems to be an issue. The Tigers’ head coach has learned from his previous 9-4 season. Stockpiling talent means little without proper execution, but first things first. Kelly is determined to pursue top talent, especially in a competitive environment with constant poaching threats and the rise of NIL deals. Remarkably, he did not lose any scholarship talent during the spring transfer portal period. Furthermore, they have reclaimed the No. 1 spot in portal rankings after acquiring defensive tackle Bernard Gooden. Additionally, four-star defensive tackle Havon Finney Jr. has joined the defense, addressing concerns about depth.

Havon Finney and his family members have been to Baton Rouge nearly a dozen times in the last year. The New Orleans product reclassified up to the 2026 cycle and has long been eyeing LSU as his potential first stop in college. Since spring 2023, he has been reviewing and reassessing the Tigers’ prospects through the lens of his hopes and aspirations. The 6 ft 2 player garnered a slew of offers from top-tier FBS schools like USC, Oregon, Michigan, and others. Thanks to his stupendous high school stats. He posted 37 tackles, four interceptions, and 16 pass breakups. He also returned two punts for touchdowns. On offense, he racked up two receptions for 63 yards and averaged 14.5 yards per punt return. So, why did the Sierra Canyon High School alumna choose the Tiger town over the others?

His family is a big reason. The kid dropped the bombshell on April 28th, on his mother’s birthday. But the question is, why did the Tigers stand out? Pop Havon Finney Sr. seems more than impressed with the hospitality his son received at Baton Rouge. “Blake is my guy. You know, Blake Baker phenomenal guy, you know he is. Again, the entire staff has been really great to us. They’ve definitely made my son feel like a priority,” Finney Sr. sang the praise of the defensive coordinator on the May 1st episode of the ‘After Further Review’ podcast.

The competition in college football is incredibly intense right now. It’s important not to confuse this with the idea that competition is something new in sports; it has always existed, albeit in a more subtle form. However, since the advent of the NIL era, this competition has become much more visible and aggressive, often overshadowing ethics, originality, and objectivity in the relentless pursuit of money. Despite this environment, the new defensive tackle’s father believes that the treatment they received at Baton Rouge—a VIP treatment, in his view—was genuine and not just for show.

“I know it’s a dicey game. You got to recruit, but he has absolutely felt like a priority to LSU, and you know if you really think about it, we’ve had an opportunity to sit down and be with Blake Baker several times, Brian Kelly. Finney Sr. said, “I mean a lot, you know, everyone over there, Frank, I mean, I don’t think there’s been no stone unturned when it comes to LSU. I think that’s the part that really drew us to them.”

However, regardless of the roots of their decision, the four-star defender brings a silent yet poised promise to the Tigers’ defense after a lackluster showdown last year.

LSU’s defense received harsh scrutiny for a doomed scoreboard

The LSU defense failed to generate pressure throughout the 2024 regular season, leading to several gut-wrenching losses. They allowed 5.9 yards per play, 364 yards per game, and 24.3 points in the scoring defense. It nowhere came close to a playoff-contending defensive mark. Nobody saw fewer opposing rushes than the Tigers, but they still failed to stop the run. The defensive tackle spot, in particular, was vulnerable in the SEC. The thin depth was pretty evident.

“It’s defensive tackle and safety,” Greg McElroy raised a red flag. “I think those are the two spots for Brian Kelly that they really need to try and go after.” He is not exaggerating at all. Depth at both positions has been a real pain in the neck for Kelly over the past couple of seasons. Kelly made some strides, grabbing the NC State safety Tamarcus Cooley earlier this year. But as McElroy believes, “LSU hosted a bunch of safeties in the winter window. They were able to sign one, but I think, in a perfect world, they would have added more.”

This year, they got a new DC in the house who has a knack for focusing more on physicality and the attacking game. Baker penned a three-year deal with LSU worth $2.5 million per year, the highest in his rank. But he needs a bunch of new faces for the successful execution of the money. With the newbies, including Havon Finney, joining the squad of Ahmad Breaux, Dominick McKinley, and a few more returners, it will be interesting to see how they pan out their roster strength going forward.