LSU football made another splash in the transfer portal. On Monday, the Tiger signed former NC State defensive back TaMarcus Cooley. Before Cooley’s commitment, he was the top-ranked unsigned defensive back.
The signing was officially announced by LSU on social media. The Tigers beat out Ole Miss and Missouri for Cooley’s services.
The signing was officially announced by LSU on social media. The Tigers beat out Ole Miss and Missouri for Cooley’s services.
According to the On3, Cooley is the No. 71 overall player in this year’s transfer class and the No. 2 overall safety.
Entering the week, LSU’s transfer class was without a safety. With Cooley on board, Brian Kelly and staff address a major need.
Cooley was the sixth-best graded safety in the ACC in 2024, according to PFF. He led all ACC safeties with seven pass breakups and was tied for first with two forced fumbles. In coverage, he allowed a 61.4 passer rating when targeted.
Most of Cooley’s snaps came in the slot. It’s unclear if LSU views Cooley as a nickelback, a traditional safety, or somewhere in between.
Cooley began his career at Maryland in 2023 and this was his second time in the transfer portal. Sometimes, that’s a bad sign, but the rule doesn’t apply here. Cooley instantly becomes LSU’s most proven option at safety.
