LSU CB Jeremiah Hughes enters NCAA Transfer Portal
The LSU football program saw three players enter the NCAA Transfer Portal on Friday morning, and all three were from the 2023 signing class.
Las Vegas cornerback Jeremiah Hughes, who signed with the Tigers a year ago, entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after seeing action in all 13 games for LSU this past season.
Hughes is one of six LSU football players who have entered the portal this week.
Hughes enters the portal after contributing in 2023
Hughes worked as a backup cornerback as a true freshman in 2023, seeing 39 total snaps at cornerback. Hughes also saw action on special teams for the Tigers with 181 snaps as a starter on the kickoff return, kickoff coverage and punt return units.
The Las Vegas, Nevada native was ranked as a three-star recruit and the No. 47 cornerback in the country in the class of 2023, according to the On3 Industry rankings.
Hughes played both receiver and cornerback in high school, helping Bishop Gorman to the 2022 Nevada Class 5A state title with a 70-6 win over Bishop Manogue in the state title game.
Hughes was joined by safety Ryan Yaites and linebacker Christian Brathwaite as LSU 2023 signees who entered the portal on Friday. All three had worked as backups during spring practices with the Tigers.
Transfer Portal Window No. 2 – LSU Departures
WR Khai Prean
EDGE Jaxon Howard
On Tuesday, LSU had one player announce his intention to enter the transfer portal during the spring window in edge rusher Jaxon Howard, a Minnesota native. Howard officially entered the portal on Tuesday. Howard appeared in five games as a true freshman in 2023, maintaining his redshirt season and recording two tackles with a quarterback hurry in the ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin.
On Wednesday morning, the second LSU player to enter the portal was New Orleans native Khai Prean, who had tested out both wide receiver and defensive back during his one year in Baton Rouge. Prean did not see any game action during the regular season in 2023, taking a redshirt before sticking with the Tigers through spring practices.
By Wednesday afternoon, a third LSU player had entered the portal. This time, it was backup tight end Connor Gilbreath. Gilbreath signed as a JUCO prospect ahead of the 2023 season. He worked primarily as an extra blocker in short-yardage situations, seeing 56 offensive snaps for LSU.
Friday morning, defensive back Ryan Yaites entered his name into the portal. Yaites appeared in all 13 games as a backup in 2023, seeing time at safety and on special teams. From there, two more 2023 signees entered in linebacker Christian Brathwaite and cornerback Jeremiah Hughes. Brathwaite took a redshirt in the fall and worked as a third-team linebacker during spring practices, while Hughes appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman, seeing time as a backup cornerback for 20-plus snaps while logging 100-plus snaps on special teams. Hughes was working as a backup cornerback during spring practices.
LSU is expected to have a handful of other players enter the portal in search of playing time elsewhere, while the Tigers will also add multiple players to the roster ahead of the 2024 season.
Transfer Portal Window No. 2 – LSU Additions
Additions: (1)
DT Gio Paez (Wisconsin)
LSU has already added one player this offseason in Wisconsin defensive tackle Gio Paez, a veteran in the trenches who helps fill the team’s biggest need.
Paez will leave Wisconsin after the spring semester and enroll at LSU in June.
While LSU could add players at multiple positions, head coach Brian Kelly said the interior of the defensive line is a major focus.
