LSU Football: Lane Kiffin Wants Another Portal Window, But Still May Have Found A Cornerback

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU football coach Lane Kiffin was just talking last week about how he would like to have the usual second NCAA Transfer Portal window over the spring, particularly since he is in his first season at LSU. And he is following a floundering 7-6 team that finished 3-5 in the Southeastern Conference.

In addition, his team also suffered two key injuries impacting depth recently in edge rusher Gabriel Reliford (anterior cruciate ligament in knee) and cornerback Aidan Anding (torn Achilles tendon), who are each out for the 2026 season.

“There’s no portal to go to,” Kiffin said. “So we’ve got to develop our guys and get the most out of them. This is your roster. This is what you’re set with. There’s nowhere to go. I’ve been very open about that. I wish that there was another one.”

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But there is still the junior college route, and LSU is hosting Georgia Military College cornerback Lavonte Williams (6-foot-3, 180) this weekend. LSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond offered Williams a scholarship last week, and Kansas State is also recruiting him.

BREAKING From https://t.co/NO7KXXDu9h: #LSU welcome Georgia Military Academy cornerback Lavonte Williams to campus. He was offered a scholarship by DBs Coach Corey Raymond on Wednesday.
Head Coach Lane Kiffin said earlier this week the team needed to address the depth at CB.… pic.twitter.com/pFJd2rEzyt

— Lonn Phillips Sullivan (@LonnPhillips) May 1, 2026

As a freshman last season, Williams played in 11 games, making 17 tackles with an interception and five pass breakups for Georgia Military College, which is located in Milledgeville, Georgia. He was unranked by recruiting websites out of Camden High in Camden, South Carolina, a year ago. Missouri State, Charleston Southern and Chattanooga are also recruiting Williams.

Anding was a backup going into his sophomore year, so Kiffin is concerned about his cornerback depth behind starters DJ Pickett, who will be a sophomore in 2026, and PJ Woodland, who will be a junior.

“I think that’s a huge emphasis for us this offseason to look at,” he said. “Because some guys did some decent things, but nobody stepped up to make you feel great in that. And so, we’ve got a lot of work to do in that.”