LSU football may no longer be in contention to land an elite SEC transfer, according to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos. Former Missouri edge rusher Damon Wilson II visited Baton Rouge on Saturday, but sources have informed On3’s Shea Dixon that the Tigers are not expected to land the top-ranked transfer.
Wilson would have been a home-run signing for Lane Kiffin and his staff. The Florida native earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2025, recording 55 pressures, eight sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss on the season. According to Nakos, Wilson is deciding between Miami and Texas Tech, both of which he has visits scheduled with before the portal closes on Friday.
Losing out on Wilson isn’t the end of the world for LSU, however. His ability to get after opposing quarterbacks certainly would’ve been nice to have in Baton Rouge, but the Tigers have already secured other solid options.
One of those options is former Tennessee edge rusher Jordan Ross, a former five-star in the class of 2024. Ross struggled to meet that lofty pedigree during his time with the Volunteers, but he’ll have an excellent staff in Baton Rouge that may be able to help him reach his potential.
Another exciting edge rusher for the Tigers didn’t come from the portal at all. That player is Gabe Reliford, a sophomore who has spent two seasons in Baton Rouge. Reliford wasn’t able to secure the starting role in 2025, but he showed some real flashes early in the season.
Unfortunately, Reliford tore his rotator cuff during the Tigers’ Week 4 contest against Southeastern Louisiana, but he should be back to full health for the 2026 season.
It’s unfortunate that LSU is likely to miss out on Wilson, but they’ve already got talent waiting in the wings.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football out of the running for elite SEC transfer