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

LSU Football No. 1 – BJ Ojulari, Edge

LSU has one of the deadliest front sevens in college football, but the player with the best chance to break out in 2022 is easily BJ Ojulari.

With Neil Farrell Jr., Damone Clark, and Derek Stingley Jr. leaving for the NFL and even more moving on to other programs, there are some obvious holes on defense that need to be filled. And while Ali Gaye is set to make his highly-anticipated return, and Micah Baskerville will likely emerge as the leader on defense. BJ Ojulari presents legitimate value to become the biggest playmaker on either side of the ball.

Even though Gaye should seamlessly return to his disruptive ways, players like Jaquelin Roy and Baskerville will help shore up the middle of the field. BJ Ojulari will have ample opportunity to reclaim his title as the team’s most intimidating force.

Not only is he arguably the most talented and athletic player left on LSU, he’s also one of the best pass rushers in all of college football. Last season, Ojulari led the way as the team leader in sacks and quarterback pressures, as a sophomore nevertheless. Finishing the year with 7 sacks, and 11 total in his two-year career at LSU, which puts him well within the range of landing on the Tigers’ all-time sacks list if he were to put together another good season.

Ojulari had an extremely impressive year in 2021 following season-ending injuries to Gaye and Andre Anthony, taking on a much bigger workload to become the focal point of LSU’s defensive line. Plus, with Gaye returning from injury, opposing teams won’t be able to double Ojulari as much, so he shouldn’t have any trouble getting to the quarterback again in 2022.

Projected to line up opposite of Gaye, Ojulari is set up perfectly to become a major contributor for LSU, and even land himself as one of the Tigers’ all-time sacks leaders when all is said and done. Expect Ojulari to demolish the already high expectations people have set for him in 2022.