BREAKING: LSU lands Liberty WR transfer CJ Daniels
The LSU football staff has added a sixth player from the NCAA Transfer Portal following a commitment from Liberty wide receiver CJ Daniels.
Daniels, who spent the weekend on LSU’s campus for a visit, was one of college football’s top wide receivers in 2023, hauling in 55 catches for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He’s the second wide receiver LSU has added through the portal this offseason following the addition of Mississippi State wideout and return specialist Zavion Thomas.
Daniels helps fill the void of losing two of CFB’s best WR’s
With 2023’s college football season complete, LSU is losing the NCAA’s leaders in receiving yards (Malik Nabers) and touchdown catches (Brian Thomas Jr.). Both have declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Nabers closed out a record-breaking season with 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns, while Thomas hauled in 68 catches for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The first step towards replacing the production came when Thomas got on board, giving LSU a boost on both special teams and the offensive side of the ball. Thomas is expected to take over as LSU’s starting punt returner, and he caught 40 passes for 503 yards and a touchdown during his sophomore season this fall.
Now, Daniels – the top target on a Liberty team that landed in a New Year’s Six Bowl – is headed to Baton Rouge.
After turning in a 1,000-plus yard receiving season in 2023, Daniels joins LSU’s roster with proven experience and production. He’s logged 42 games played during his college career, totaling 106 catches, 1,954 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Daniels joined Thomas and Nabers as one of 11 wide receivers to surpass the 1,000-yard mark and record at least 10 touchdown catches in 2023.
Headed into the 2024 season, only five of the 11 names on the list are returning for another year of college football: Daniels, Tez Johnson at Oregon, Tetairoa McMillan at Arizona, Jalen Royals at Utah State and Ja’Mori Maclin at North Texas. Maclin has transferred to Kentucky, while signs point to Daniels transferring from Liberty to LSU.
The Tigers return wide receiver Kyren Lacy, who finished third on the team in receiving with 30 catches for 558 yards.
From there, the most experienced returning receiver is Chris Hilton, who caught 13 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Anderson, who transferred in from Alabama ahead of the 2023 season, was the lone other LSU wideout to catch a pass in 2023, finishing the year with 12 catches for 59 yards.
