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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
Now, I present Part II oof LSUODYSSEY's
BEST Freshmen of 2024 Countdown:
DOMINICK MCKINLEY
7 TACKLES
7 QB PRESSURES
6 STOPS
3 TFLs
3 SACKS
1 FUMBLE RECOVERY
Despite his youth & inexperience, it isn't a stretch to suggest Dominick McKinley stood out as LSU's most athletically gifted defensive tackle this past fall....
Appearing in over 10 games, all as a substitute & for a meager 146 snaps, the athletic mammoth that is Dominick McKinley still made his presence known, dealing 7 QB pressures, 6 stops from 7 overall tackles (forcing no gain plays), 3 tackles for loss, recovering a fumble, and recording an impressive trio of sacks from the interior, headlined by 2 sacks vs Oklahoma (plus another against UCLA).
Injured for the first 3 games due to turf toe, McKinley was eased into the season, Brian Kelly and his training staff erring on the side of caution with their potential star DT as veterans Jacobian Guillory, Gio Paez, and Jay'viar Suggs over-performed for the first game vs USC.
Once Guillory went down due to a torn Achilles in week 2, McKinley's availability became paramount, offering the Tigers a ferocious, athletically dominant, high pedigree defensive tackle option.
Next to 2024 freshman classmate Ahmad Breaux, these two Tiger freshmen gave Bo Davis solid backup options in a year where defensive tackle remained one of the team's thinnest position groups....a fact that was even more pronounced during LSU's 3 game losing streak vs A&M, Alabama & Florida's dual threat or traditional ground attacks.
On many of their limited snaps, McKinley & Breaux were split with a slap dash collection of transfer portal veterans figuring it out each rep.....thrown into the fire, but making it out unscathed and much wiser for the experience.
In 2024, McKinley popped on the eye test & produced plays over the course of a minimal snap count, blessed with an elite motor, fantastic battling hands, swift feet, and a nice finishing touch in the backfield.
The Louisiana native DT is an exhilarating prospect for 2025 & beyond......hanging in there & showing out when he had the opportunities throughout a developmental 2024 freshman campaign.
GABE RELIFORD
10 TACKLES
8 QB PRESSURES
1 TFL
0.5 SACK
Appearing in 12 games & 153 on field snaps, towering Adonis-shaped DE Gabe Reliford was very much expected to receive more playing time heading into his debut year.
Though due to the strong play of Bradyn Swinson & Saivion Jones, the young Reliford was mostly utilized in 3rd down cheetah (pressure-producing) packages.
Creating 1 sack, tackling 2 players in the backfield, making minimal errors, Reliford is very much a Tiger for the future who was only able to show us glimpses of his high octane potential this past fall.
In 2025, with heavy edge competition arriving via the transfer portal, Reliford must be ready for one hell of a fight during Spring and Fall camps vs Patrick Payton, Jack Pyburn, and Jamir Butler among others.
AHMAD BREAUX
17 TACKLES
9 STOPS
5 QB PRESSURES
2 TFLs
292 SNAPS
A subtly good first year is in the books for resident brainiac & highly versatile defensive lineman Ahmad Breaux, gaining serious weight during his first ever Tiger offseason to fill a roster hole for the team, and ending up playing quite a bit over the course of 2024.
Taking the field for 292 snaps across 13 appearances, the most of any freshman D-lineman, Breaux became an imperative piece to the interior D-line puzzle for position Coach Bo Davis.
Selflessly switching from defensive end to defensive tackle was already a laudable move, but when he gained the proper weight & followed it up with brutal front seven playmaking, much of his work creating plays for teammates, Breaux established himself as a prospective future great in purple and gold.
PJ WOODLAND
20 TACKLES
20 TARGETS
13 CATCHES ALLOWED
164 YARDS ALLOWED
1 TD CATCH ALLOWED
4 FORCED INCOMPLETIONS
3 PBUs
2 TFLs
1 FF
1 FR
PJ Woodland is an intriguing Tiger for the future, regardless of the highly rated arrivals through the transfer portal or from the 2025 class.
Carrying plenty of fight & hardnosed coverage, Woodland could become a must-see TV corner if he stays focused & develops his mirroring skills. More than any other attribute in his arsenal, the freshman cornerback's willingness & hunger to compete for every pass will serve him well going forward.
Yes, he was beaten on a few plays, gave up a couple big shots (longest grab allowed went for 34 yards), although what freshman DB isn't beaten for some massive downfield gains???
All in all, it was a solid developmental year for Woodland, filled with impressive plays on the ball in coverage, 2 turnovers forced (recovering a fumble as well as forcing another), plus another pair of tackles for loss (pointing out his prowess against ball carriers & at the line of scrimmage).
I expect PJ to fight like hell throughout Spring and Fall Camp, vying for one of Corey Raymond's pair of cornerback spots against 2024 starter Ashton Stamps, incoming 5 star freshman DJ Pickett, highly coveted transfer signing Mansoor Delane, among others (including LSU's next few transfer portal pickups).
THANK YOU
FOR READING
BY LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
COPYRIGHT 2025 UNINTERRUPTED WRITINGS INC
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