Denver Harris, Duce Chestnut won't play in LSU bowl game

LSU signed four transfer cornerbacks ahead of the 2023 season, but by season’s end, none were on the field for the final month of the season.

Ohio State cornerback transfer JK Johnson suffered a season-ending injury in fall camp, while Southeastern transfer Zy Alexander started eight games at cornerback before an injury cut short the remainder of his season.

The other two transfer cornerbacks were non-injury related absences with both Denver Harris and Duce Chestnut missing large amounts of time.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly said both were still on roster, but not with the team across the final month-plus of the season.

What does it mean moving forward?

Harris, Chestnut won’t suit up vs. Wisconsin

Brian Kelly said exit meetings with players occurred a week ago, but Harris and Chestnut were not part of those conversations.

“We have not sat down with them,” Kelly said on Tuesday. “We are waiting until the end of the semester and have individual conversations with both of them.”

Kelly said neither Harris or Chestnut will suit up for LSU vs. Wisconsin in the Reliaquest Bowl in Tampa on January 1. It’s unclear if either will be available for practices leading up to the bowl game after both were absent from practices to close out the regular season.

Chestnut played in the first four games of the season, then didn’t see action in the final eight games, meaning he will take a redshirt after playing in his first two seasons at Syracuse.

Harris didn’t travel with the team for the opener against Florida State, but he then made then made three straight starts. From there, Harris appeared in just two of the remaining eight games – and he didn’t play in any of the final four games of the season.

Both have already used the NCAA’s one-time free transfer, meaning both would have to sit out a season if they transfer to another FBS program without receiving a waiver.

Harris saw 217 snaps on defense this season, while Chestnut played just 81 snaps.

What’s next at CB for LSU?

Sage Ryan led all LSU cornerbacks with 620 snaps on defense, followed by Alexander’s 418 snaps across eight starts before a season-ending injury.

The next-most reps at cornerback went to freshman Javien Toviano, who made the move from safety to cornerback and logged 244 snaps on defense.

Fellow freshman Ashton Stamps nearly passed up Harris’ snap count, finishing the year with 214 snaps – just three fewer than Harris.

Stamps started in three games, while Toviano started in two games.

Freshman Jeremiah Hughes, who played in every game on special teams, saw 39 snaps at cornerback.

Sophomore Laterrance Welch played in nine games with no starts, finishing the year with 96 snaps on defense – a much lower number than both Toviano and Stamps. On Monday, Welch officially entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.

LSU is expected to sign four cornerbacks this month in high school prospects Ju’Juan Johnson, Bernard Causey, PJ Woodland and Wallace Foster.

The Tigers are also actively recruiting cornerbacks from the NCAA Transfer Portal, and sources tell The Bengal Tiger staff that LSU is expected to take at least one transfer cornerback this offseason.