LSU snares Oregon State linebacker Omar Speights from transfer portal

Since LSU lost the services of Micah Baskerville, Mike Jones and Demario Tolan from the 2022 roster, a need to add quality talent at the inside linebacker spot jumped to Brian Kelly’s front burner.

The hot stove that is the transfer portal provided help in the form of All-PAC 12 standout Omar Speights from Oregon State. Alabama was one of many programs who had lots of interest but the Tigers won out on a proven Power 5 starter.

Corvallis it’s all love! 🦫🖤 Baton Rouge IT’S UP! 🐯💜 pic.twitter.com/h1ZqIMwl5r

— Omar Speights (@omarspeights) January 20, 2023

The 6-foot-1, 233-pound product of Philadelphia, Pa. brings loads of experience and impressive stats. In the ’22 campaign, the team captain totaled 83 stops with 8.0 for losses plus four QB hurries.

Speights has played in 45 contests for the Beavers since 2019, starting 39. He has tallied 308 career tackles with 25.5 behind the line of scrimmage, 5.0 sacks and 44 hurries while playing 2,596 snaps.

With 4.65 speed, Speights has excellent closing speed as a violent downhill tackler who moves well laterally anticipates the play instantaneously and can change direction with no problem. He can improve as a pass defender but he is a capable rusher who can play every down.

LSU will return Harold Perkins, Greg Penn III, West Weeks while adding true freshmen Whit Weeks and Christian Brathwaite for the ’23 season.