Transfers were an expected outcome of the start of the Lane Kiffin era at LSU football, especially given the amount of turnover on the Tigers’ offensive staff. Most of the team’s departures so far have been depth pieces rather than building blocks for the future, but Wednesday’s transfer announcement featured one of those potential cornerstones.
Former five-star offensive lineman Carius Curne plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal when it opens on January 2, marking the first likely 2026 starter to decide to leave Baton Rouge.
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Despite Kiffin’s notoriety for his ability to acquire talent through the transfer portal, it might be hard to find a replacement who is both as young and as talented as Curne.
That was proven by On3’s latest transfer portal rankings, which slotted Curne as the eighth-best player in the portal.
Sep 27, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; LSU Tigers offensive lineman Carius Curne (57) waits for the snap during the fourth quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Curne appeared in seven games as a true freshman for the Tigers, including five starts. As is often the case for a true freshman facing SEC talent, Curne’s play was inconsistent. Curne allowed only one sack and three pressures against Ole Miss and Alabama combined, but against Arkansas and Texas A&M, those numbers rose to six pressures and two sacks.
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Despite the poor performance in pass protection against Arkansas, Curne showed some flashes in the run game, as seen below.
There’s always a chance LSU can convince Curne to return to Baton Rouge after he tests the open market, but it seems unlikely. That feels especially true given that the coach who recruited Curne, Brad Davis, is not being retained on Kiffin’s staff.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football transfer is one of the best players in the portal
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