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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
At a major position of need, LSU just added a significant piece to their 2025 transfer puzzle: former NC State safety Tamarcus Cooley, the 2nd ranked overall DB within the transfer portal, the secondary target Brian Kelly, Corey Raymond, Blake Baker & Jake Olsen had to have.
Already ranked as the #1 overall transfer class of the cycle by many national analysts, LSU has been dominant under Brian Kelly and Austin Thomas this winter, pulling in 16 of the strongest portal signings Kelly has ever made during his 3 season tenure.
Forced to endure poor safety play over the course of the immediate post-2019 era, LSU's traditionally elite presence at safety fell hollow, the dynamite dynamism of Tigers such as Landry, Steltz, Adams, Reid, Delpit becoming noticeably absent from 2020-2024.
Without room for any debate, the Tigers' lack of playmaking at the backend directly correlated with their two worst defensive campaigns in program history (2020 & 2023).
But now, among the earliest days of 2025, Kelly's signing of red shirt sophomore Tamarcus Cooley is a welcome & dramatic sea change, with Kelly and his NIL boosters finally making the position a priority....to the tune of a versatile, plug and play dynamo in Cooley:
Playing just 23 snaps at Maryland as a true freshman, Tamarcus transferred to North Carolina State for the 2024 campaign....where he exploded into life & set himself apart within the ACC:
Over his lone season at NC State, Cooley broke up 7 passes, intercepted 3, made 39 tackles, finished ball carriers in the backfield for 3 tackles for loss, created 2 sacks (officially credited with 2 by PFF, 1 by other outlets like ESPN or Sports-Reference.com), forcing 2 fumbles, recovering one fumble he returned 70 yards for a near touchdown, penetrating for 3 QB pressures, giving up 23 catches from 41 overall targets for 332 total yards, 1 touchdown catch charged against him, denying all receivers 0 catches across 4 different appearances (Cooley never gave up more than 78 yards to any receiver and no more than 4 catches), forcing 8 incompletions via tight coverage, Cooley did not merely rank as NC State's 2nd overall defender, he also ranked #1 on the team concerning coverage.
In the right hands, surrounded by the right talent, Cooley could & should turn into a must-see TV showstopper safety at LSU...our first at that position since guys like Grant Delpit & Jay Ward went to the NFL.
Appearing in 620 snaps & ending 2024 as NC State's 2nd highest ranked defender on Pro Football Focus, Cooley played 380 snaps covering slot receivers, as well as 101 plays near or around the defensive line, pointing to his next level adaptability in or around the box as a run / dual threat QB stuffer, plus his coverage prowess when defending centralized routes.
For defensive coordinator Blake Baker, the creative possibilities are endless when you look at a unit that now includes Whit Weeks, Harold Perkins, Patrick Payton, Tamarcus Cooley, Mansoor Delane, Jack Pyburn, West Weeks, Davhon Keys, Jardin Gilbert, Jamir Butler, Dominick McKinley, Ahmad Breaux, Ashton Stamps, and PJ Woodland just to name a few......
LSU nation, attention....you....me....all of us are about to bear witness to an incendiary defensive revival in Baton Rouge....
For further reading on LSU's epic 2025 transfer portal class, read this piece HERE.
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by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
©️ 2025 Uninterrupted Writings Inc
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