Welcome everyone to the latest edition of the 2017 LSU Tigers position preview! In this edition, we look at the position of linebacker.
With one of their best players at the position potentially out for the first half of the season, it may seem like a position that will struggle. However, there are quite a few players with experience playing under Dave Aranda’s defense that will be able to step up while that “key” player is out with injury.
Departing Players:
The Tigers are without two of their best players on the defensive side of the ball in Duke Riley and Kendall Beckwith. Beckwith dominated the SEC with an impressive 9.1 tackles per game as a senior before suffering a knee injury against Florida. Having that injury makes you wonder if he could have eclipsed 10 tackles per contest in the final two games.
Meanwhile Riley had a strong season at outside linebacker with 93 tackles in all 12 regular season games. He made a strong final impression against Louisville in the Citrus Bowl with eight tackles and a fumble recovery in the 29-9 thrashing of the Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson. Losing these two players is tough, but there’s quite a bit of talent coming back.
Returning Players:
There’s a total six players with experience in 2016 that are coming back from last season and that statistic alone should quell several fans worries about the linebacker position. That being said, there’s one player that has fans questioning the position and that’s Arden Key.
While his play on the field his first two seasons has been phenomenal, his shoulder injury and subsequent surgery during the spring hurts the position when it comes to the frontlines for the early part of the season. There’s no official return date besides during SEC play. Does that mean Mississippi State in week three or for the Florida game in October? It’s a very vague statement, but his recent activity in fall camp has been a positive sign that he will be back sooner rather than later.
Even without Key, the linebacker position does have some strengths, especially with Donnie Alexander. The senior racked up 45 total tackles and one interception in 2016 and will help fill the void that Key leaves as he gets closer to 100 percent.
The Other Guys:
There are quite a few true freshmen on the 2017 roster, but three of them have been highly touted by Ed Orgeron. You’ve got three players that could make an impact as freshmen this season and that’s K’Lavon Chaisson, Patrick Queen, and Ray Thornton. Chaisson has been talked about for quite some time as one of the freshmen that will potentially see some time on the field, much like Michael Divinity did in 2016.
Overall Thoughts:
The linebackers for the Tigers headed into 2017, even if Arden Key is out for the first few weeks are good enough to handle the workload. With Key, they truly unlock their full potential and could be one of the best corps in the SEC, if not the country.
-Clint Domingue