Published Apr 26, 2025
LSU Football lands first transfer of the spring
Luke Hubbard  •  Death Valley Insider
Analyst
Twitter
@clukehubbard

The LSU Tigers have landed their first - and possibly only - spring portal commitment on Friday afternoon. Bernard Gooden, one of the top DTs available in the spring portal, made a visit to LSU earlier this week and has committed to the Tigers.

Gooden was a three-star recruit back in 2021 before committing to Wake Forest. He played one season for the Demon Deacons in 2022 before transferring to Southern Florida. He didn't play in 2023, but had a terrific 2024 season.

Gooden racked up 1.5 sacks, 35 pressures, 35 tackles and 10 tackles for loss last year. He earned an incredible 87.2 run defense grade from PFF, which ranked 15th among all DI defensive tackles.

Brian Kelly said the Tigers wouldn't take a transfer in the spring unless a perfect opportunity presented itself. This felt like a perfect opportunity. LSU could use some more help at defensive tackle. They have a lot of guys who can rush the passer from the interior, but Gooden can absolutely swallow up gaps and defend the run at a high level.

This is a great addition for the Tigers. They sure up one of the weakest spots on their roster and get someone who can help them the moment he steps on the field.

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