By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
LSU could have as many as six offensive linemen leaving via the NCAA Transfer Portal that opens on Friday, Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 16.
Planning on entering the portal are true freshman Carius Curne, redshirt freshman Coen Echols, redshirt sophomore DJ Chester, redshirt sophomore Tyree Adams, redshirt sophomore Paul Mubenga and redshirt freshman Ory Williams.
Curne, Echols, Chester and Adams were all ranked as four-star prospects on a scale of one to five, according to 247sports.com.
Players who enter the portal can still exit and stay at their previous school. Not all who enter the portal really want to leave. Some may just want to see if the market will pay them more. Others are looking for a fresh start.
Regardless of the intention’s of LSU’s current offensive linemen, new LSU coach Lane Kiffin will likely be fishing for many offensive linemen anyway. Here are seven he may consider:
1. JOSH ATKINS … Senior Tackle, Arizona State – Atkins (6-foot-4, 315 pounds, Arlington, Texas) spent the past two seasons at Arizona State and was a captain in 2025. He has started 39 consecutive games, dating back to 2023 when he played for Hawaii. Atkins was recently granted a sixth year after not seeing action in 2021 and 2022 at Houston.
2. TELLEK LOCKETTE … Senior Guard, Texas State – Lockette (6-3, 315, Miami) started 29 games in the last three seasons at Texas State. He decided to take a redshirt after his fourth game this season. Lockette was named a first team preseason All-Sun Belt player before this season. In 131 pass blocking snaps this
season, he did not allow a single pressure and had a 90.2 pass blocking grade.
3. TANNER MORLEY … Sophomore Guard, Colorado State – Morley (6-7, 325, Highlands Ranch, Colorado) may be one of the most sought-after players in the portal as he has only allowed one sack in his college career.
4. XAVIER CHAPLIN … Junior Tackle, Auburn – Chaplin (6-7, 348, Beaufort, South Carolina) is one of the top tackles in the portal. He started 12 games last season and graded 90 or better in five games. Before Auburn, he was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable mention in 2024 at Virginia Tech and was a third team All-American in 2023.
5. JOSEPH SIMMONS … Junior Tackle, James Madison – Simmons (6-6, 323, Dover, Delaware) started at left tackle in 2025 and has logged 1,200 snaps at tackle in his career.
6. SHADRE HURST … Junior Guard, Tulane – Hurst (6-2, 293, Cartersville, Georgia) was a first team All-American Athletic Conference player this season. He has made 36 career starts and has a 90.5 pass blocking grade.
7. CONNOR STROH … Sophomore Guard, Texas – Stroh (6-7, 345, Frisco, Texas) started five games at left guard for the Longhorns in 2025.
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