LSU Football: Top 3 way-too-early 2022 breakout candidates

LSU Football No. 3 – Sage Ryan, Safety

LSU’s Sage Ryan is perhaps the biggest longshot on this list, but also the player entering 2022 with the most hype around him and the best opportunity in front of him.

Even though he was forced to miss the majority of 2021 due to injury, we only saw him play in three games. He’s still a former five-star recruit, a top-30 player in the country, and was even named Louisiana’s Mr. Football in high school at Lafayette Christian Academy.

He’s also already proven he can play at an SEC level and carries the necessary speed and versatility to evolve into yet another top-tier roving safety at LSU, having been likened by many to previous Tigers’ All-Americans, Tyrann Mathieu, and Jamal Adams.

Plus, there’s sure to be plenty of opportunity for him given the sheer amount of turnover, as the LSU defense, in particular, went through a massive overhaul this offseason.

Not only did LSU see four cornerbacks leave via the NFL draft and the transfer portal, but they also bid farewell to their leading tackler from 2021, Damone Clark. This means that they will be looking for new players to help fill the void and make plays on defense.

Ryan will have a host of new faces to compete with in the defensive backfield, most notably Greg Brooks Jr., who transferred over from Arkansas and is projected to start at nickel, as well as his former Razorback teammate, Joe Foucha, who’s expected to start at strong safety.

If a breakout were to occur on defense, you can bet that it will take place in the secondary given the amount of roster fluctuation and Sage Ryan feels like the player most poised to take that next step.