Brian Kelly has made a living in the transfer portal this offseason. Thus far adding a total of 12 players to the team through the transfer portal. With three quarterbacks on the roster for 2022, would he dare go after another one?
The top-rated transfer available is Caleb Williams. The former Oklahoma quarterback that took over for a struggling Spencer Rattler in 2021. After Lincoln Riley bolted for the USC job it seemed like Williams was destined to follow. When he entered the transfer portal, everyone expected an announcement would come sooner or later.
While speculation continues to run rampant, Williams still has yet to make a decision. Would he come to Baton Rouge to play for the Tigers? Despite the fact that one report from Dean Blevins has LSU in the running, it would be hard to fathom the top 2021 signee coming to the Bayou with Walker Howard, Garrett Nussmeier, and Myles Brennan.
CBS Sports decided to dive into the potential landing spots for Williams. Due to one report, LSU was expected to be among the finalists for his transfer. Shehan Jeyarajah weighed the pros and cons for Williams down on the Bayou.
Next, we take a look at Jeyarajah’s reasoning
The Pros on Williams at LSU
There aren’t many better places to build NFL Draft stock than the SEC, and LSU has all the pieces to do it. The last full-time starting quarterback at LSU to graduate was Joe Burrow, who developed into the Heisman winner and No. 1 overall pick. The Tigers rank No. 5 in 247Sports Talent Composite, so there would be plenty of pieces with which to work. Virtually every contributor at wide receiver is back, including future Sunday dude Kayshon Boutte.
The Cons on Williams at LSU
The Tigers have been a disaster over the past two seasons, going 11-12 and earning their first losing season since 1999. The instability ultimately convinced incumbent Max Johnson to transfer despite solid numbers as a starter. New coach Brian Kelly should bring some stability to the program, but neither he, nor offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, have produced a first-round pick at quarterback. Williams will instantly become the most popular player on campus, but the Tigers also have three other touted quarterbacks — Myles Brennan, Garrett Nussmeier and incoming freshman Walker Howard — who could quickly be breathing down Williams’ neck if he struggles.