Star LSU football linebacker Whit Weeks named preseason All-American by Walter Camp
Weeks' selection makes him one of the nation's top six linebackers. He led the Tigers with 125 tackles while adding 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2024. The performance made him an All-SEC first team selection.
The SEC led the selections with 12 schools represented and 16 players. Linebackers Jason Henderson of Old Dominion and Suntarine Perkins of Ole Miss join Weeks on the second team. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnick earned first team honors while Arizona State's passer Sam Leavitt earned second team honors.
Weeks returns to the gridiron for his junior year following a six-month recovery from surgery on a dislocated ankle and broken fibula. He was carted off the field during the second quarter of the Kinder's Texas Bowl against Baylor after he went down making a tackle.
Weeks and fellow linebacker Harold Perkins return to lead a retooled LSU defense, which includes additions from the country's top 2025 transfer portal class.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
34 minutes ago
- USA Today
Five things LSU football fans should know about elite recruit Trenton Henderson
LSU football made a splash earlier this week, adding five-star defensive end Trenton Henderson to its 2026 recruiting class. With Henderson's pledge, he became the second-highest-ranked defender in LSU's class, only trailing five-star defensive tackle Richard Anderson. After a busy few days in the recruiting world, LSU's class ranks No. 7 nationally, according to On3/Rivals. LSU has 14 commits and nearly 80% of the class ranks as a blue-chip recruit. Fifty-seven percent of the class hails from Louisiana. While LSU doesn't have the top overall class, the Tigers are second to none when it comes to quality. LSU's average recruit rating is 92.07, the best mark in the nation. With Henderson on board, LSU has six recruits ranked in the top 100. The best of the crop is five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys, who hails from Mississippi. Here are five things to know about LSU football adding Trenton Henderson to its 2026 recruiting class. Henderson fills a massive need for LSU Last cycle, LSU signed just one EDGE, four-star Damien Shanklin. That makes the position a priority for LSU in 2026. Henderson, the first end to commit to LSU this cycle, fills that need. LSU was forced to use the transfer portal to fill out its 2025 defensive end room, but Brian Kelly and the Tigers want talent in the pipeline. Signing players like Henderson accomplishes that goal. LSU defensive ends coach Kevin Peoples has a history of developing talent on the edge and that's attractive to recruits of Henderson's caliber. The Tigers dipped into Florida for an elite prospect LSU had success recruiting the Sunshine State in 2025. The Tigers signed five-star corner DJ Pickett from Zephyrhills, Florida and four-star offensive lineman Solomon Thomas from Jacksonville, Florida. LSU is continuing that run with the addition of Trenton Henderson out of Pensacola, Florida. LSU had to beat out schools close to home like Florida and Auburn, but the Tigers' pitch was strong enough to land the out-of-state prospect. What the scouts say about LSU commit Trenton Henderson Here's what 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Irvins wrote about Henderson: "Sprouting linebacker that can get after the quarterback as he comes screaming around the corner. Size has not been third-party verified, but is believed to be over 6-foot-4 and tipping the scales right around 225 pounds. Took a major step forward between sophomore and junior seasons – evoking much more confidence and physicality. Future could very well be in an on-ball role as a two-point edge rusher in an 3-4 look, but is rather comfortable dropping into space and has the chase speed to make stops outside the hashes, which suggests that he could also trigger from an off-ball perch." What the reports say about LSU's NIL offer to Henderson According to Rivals' Chad Simmons, Texas and LSU made similar offers. We don't know the exact details of LSU's offer, but it's a good sign to see the Tigers competing with NIL powers like the Longhorns. "LSU and Texas really made similar offers and Florida was great too, but I let my family and agent handle all of that," Henderson told Simmons. Where do the major recruiting services rank Henderson
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Three key stats LSU football QB Garrett Nussmeier needs to improve this fall
LSU football enters 2025 with high expectations. The return of veteran quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is a big part of that. Nussmeier enters his fifth year of college football and second as a full-time starter. Per BetMGM, Nussmeier has the second-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy, only trailing Texas' Arch Manning. Nussmeier's 2024 had ups and downs, but there was more good than bad. Nussmeier dazzled in the second half vs. Ole Miss, leading LSU on clutch scoring drives late to force overtime. In OT, Nussmeier delivered another big throw to Kyren Lacy to win the game. Down the stretch of 2024, Nussmeier started to put it all together. From week 13 on, he was the top-graded passer in the SEC, according to PFF. In that same span, Nussmeier ranked second in yards per attempt and completion percentage. If LSU gets that version of Nussmeier throughout 2025, it will be a good year for the Tigers. Here are three key stats LSU needs Nussmeier to improve on this fall. Big-time throw percentage According to PFF, a big-time throw is "a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window." Nussmeier has one of the best arms in the SEC and he can make any throw on the field. But on the year, Nussmeier's big-time throw rate was 4.7%, which ranked 10th in the SEC. If Nussmeier is going to mount a Heisman campaign and lead LSU to a national title, that number needs to be better. Over Nuss's final three games, his BTT% was 7.8%. Expect more of that this fall. Rushing yards Nussmeier didn't offer much of anything on the ground. On 25 carries, he totaled 93 yards for an average of 3.7 yards per run. He found the end zone three times. LSU doesn't need Nussmeier to be Jayden Daniels with the legs, but he's athletic enough to be a threat in the red zone or pick up a first down. LSU's rushing attack struggled in 2024 without the threat of a quarterback run. For the offense to reach its goals this fall, the unit needs more from the ground game. Nussmeier offering a bigger contribution will help with that. Yards per attempt Nussmieer averaged 7.7 yards per attempt in 2024, which ranked No. 11 in the SEC. Not all of that was on Nussmeier. Much of the blame can be attributed to the offense as a whole. For much of the year, the Tigers didn't have a receiver who stretched the field. And with LSU not getting much from the run game, scheming up play action was difficult. Without a deep threat at wide receiver and without play action, it's hard to generate a downfield passing game. LSU needs more in this department. Nussmeier is good enough to deliver. We saw what Nuss and the LSU offense did at the end of the year with Chris Hilton finally healthy on the outside. Now, LSU gets a healthy Hilton along with the transfer portal additions of Barion Brown and Nic Anderson -- both capable of taking the top of the defense. With an improved run game setting up play action and better talent on the outside, LSU can have one of the best deep attacks in the SEC.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Nation's No. 1 QB Names College Football Powerhouse He Envisions Himself Playing At
Nation's No. 1 QB Names College Football Powerhouse He Envisions Himself Playing At originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Elijah Haven is heading into his junior high school season. The No. 1 quarterback in the 2027 class is impressed by three programs at this point in his recruitment, but Billy Napier's Florida Gators stand above the two others. Advertisement 'Florida has been one of those consistent contacts,' Haven told Rivals, adding that Napier's program has been chief in his recruitment as of late. 'The coaches there … I get the feel I can definitely see myself playing at Florida. They've been on me hard and have made sure I know I'm one of their priority guys.' The Gators are competing with Ryan Day's Ohio State Buckeyes and Brian Kelly's LSU Tigers at this juncture. Kelly has the advantage of Haven playing in his backyard in Baton Rouge, La. Ohio State already has one signal-caller commit in 247Sports four-star Brady Edmunds. Napier hopes to slot Haven in after DJ Lagway moves on. 'Supersized quarterback with first-round pick potential if he can put it all together,' 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote in an April scouting report. 'Possesses an excellent combination of strength and athleticism to go along with impressive competitive drive. … Has the tools to emerge as a force multiplier on Saturdays and then potentially Sundays.' Advertisement Florida Gators coach Billy Napier© Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Ivins also compares Haven to NFL journeyman Jacoby Brissett, who's entering his 10th professional season with his sixth team. Haven took home the MaxPreps National Sophomore Player of the Year award after leading The Dunham School to a 14-1 record with 3,093 passing yards, 37 touchdown throws and seven interceptions. Haven adds a dimension on the ground, as well, having scampered for 925 yards and 19 touchdowns. Related: Billy Napier Provides Major Update on DJ Lagway Amid Injury Concerns This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
