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Louisiana had a strong season a year ago at the linebacker spot with standouts such as Kris Moncrief, Andre Jones, and leading tackler Jourdan Quibodeaux.
Now that those three standouts are gone, what does the group look like?
Cameron Whitfield Jr
Whitfield spent the first two years buried in the depth chart behind guys like Ferrod Gardner and Andre Jones but should get the opportunity to stand out this season. In his first two seasons, the sophomore had 10 tackles in 15 appearances. Standing at 6’3″ and 244 pounds, he has a very physical frame and can provide a lot of support to the defensive line as well as in coverage.
Jasper Williams
Williams had 21 tackles in 13 games a year ago while also bringing in an interception. He’s been a key part of the defense for two seasons now, but really took a step forward in 2022. LaMar Morgan and his defensive staff will look for Williams to take another step forward in 2023 as one of the leaders of the Cajuns’ defense.
KC Ossai
Ossai had a breakout season in 2022, finishing fifth on the team with 63 tackles, which is also the most from a returning player. He represented Louisiana at Sun Belt Media Days last week and is looking to continue his success with the Cajuns in 2023.
Similar to Whitfield, Ossai has a physical frame at 6’1″ and 242 pounds so look for KC to do a lot of run support in addition to pass coverage.
Trey Fite
Fite is a talented-looking defensive end prospect that has yet to see college action. He was a three-star recruit out of high school that was originally offered by Louisiana, but he chose to go to SMU. After redshirting his freshman year, he comes to Lafayette with his 6’5″ frame ready to make an impact in a position of need.
Others to Watch
Tyler Guidry had 14 tackles last season, so he will look to build off of those numbers in 2023. Also, Cam George from Acadiana will also look to make a name for himself at his hometown university. Other names to watch include Kendre Gant, Jake St Andre, and Kailep Edwards.