MANSOOR DELANE 2025 PROFILE
- Lonn Phillips Sullivan
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
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One of 16 incoming winter transfers who joined LSU this past winter, former Virginia Tech CB Mansoor Delane, the #2 overall ranked cornerback of the December 2024 portal window, dazzled during his first Spring as a Tiger.
Although he received reps at nickel and saw some time at safety, it's abundantly clear the versatile DB is not only needed at corner, Delane is most comfortable guarding receivers out wide.....capable of becoming an apex veteran corner under Corey Raymond.
So far through Spring practices, Delane sported lockdown coverage alongside elite tackling abilities in space, pulling off some straight up nasty 1 v 1 thoroughbred stops on the outside or as a gunner on special teams.
You could argue the former Virginia Tech coverage maestro hasn't made enough plays on the ball since his arrival, however with tight, sticky finger coverage for the most part (forcing errant throws), he will have his chances during Fall Camp and the season ahead to add increased turnover creation to his game.....and after intercepting 4 passes last season for Virginia Tech, we know Delane is more than capable of taking the football away.
At a major position of need, at a spot where LSU continues to struggle for consistency in both performance & personnel (since the departure of Derek Stingley Jr, Cordale Flott, Dwight McGlothern, and Eli Ricks during the 2021 winter portal or 2022 NFL Draft), signing a savvy veteran like Delane to front this young LSU cornerback room became an absolutely necessity...& it looks like Corey Raymond found the right guy for the gig.
Delane possesses the experience, taking the field for three full seasons as a Hokie, he featured across 1,826 snaps, gave up 34 catches from 72 overall targets, allowing 570 total receiving yards, 7 TDs in coverage, 4 penalties charged against him, cobbled together 146 combined tackles, produced 8 tackles for loss, 16 pass breakups, 6 INTs (4 arriving last season), 4 forced fumbles, 3 QB pressures, and 1 fumble recovery.
But if Delane becomes complacent, CBs guru Corey Raymond can deploy other corners on roster who could possibly push Delane for one of LSU's two corner spots, including highly experienced incoming junior starter Ashton Stamps (who led the SEC with 14 PBUs last fall), hardnosed returning sophomores PJ Woodland & Michael Turner Jr, fellow transfer Jakheem Jackson (a former Raymond pupil from his time at Florida), while freshman phenom DJ Pickett is already making devastating plays in his first Spring Camp.
Still, we know from prior experience, Head Coach Brian Kelly and his longtime staff lean towards starting veterans with proven resumes over young, inexperienced up and coming talents.
With that said, it's a safe bet to assume one flank of Corey Raymond's cornerback tandem will be taken up by the veteran transfer, if he goes through the summer & Fall Camp performing at his optimum.
Exhibiting a strong athletic & anticipatory tool belt for many of the media's viewable stretches of Spring Camp, we were able to watch his game improve before our eyes while he covered the SEC's deepest receiving corps.
As he matched wits and speed against Chris Hilton Jr, Aaron Anderson, Barion Brown, Nic Anderson, and Destyn Hill (among others), Delane is proving to be a fighter, responding quickly from adversity or when allowing a big play...usually by supplying one of his own....exactly the kind of gritty veteran example Raymond's young cornerback room will lean on throughout Jake Flint's grueling summer workouts, what should be an intense & decisive Fall Camp, and of course, a long season ahead for Delane, navigating his first SEC gauntlet as a member of the purple and gold....representing the Forefathers of DBU as much as LSU...
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
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