Ranking the top LSU athletes from 2023-24 year (2024)

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Campbell is one of three Tigers’ from LSU’s elite offense to make this list. He was tasked with protecting Jayden Daniels’ blindside in 2023 and emerged as one of the best tackles in the country.

Campbell was elite in pass protection and was dominant in the run game. As an SEC offensive linemen, he faced some of the nation’s top pass rushers on a week-to-week basis and it was Campbell consistently coming out on top.

He wasn’t draft-eligible and will return in 2024. If he repeats his 2023, Campbell will be one of the first names off the board in the 2025 NFL draft.

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Tommy White, affectionately known as Tommy Tanks, built on his elite 2023 with another strong year in 2024.

White was second-team All-SEC and ranked top 10 in the conference with 70 RBI. With runners on base the last two years, few batters proved to be as effective as White. His defense at third base took a big step forward, too.

His 24 homers and 178 total bases were also some of the best marks in the SEC and White is set to be a top 20 pick in July’s MLB draft.

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We’re doubling up here, going with LSU’s two aces. Baseball struggled to repeat the same success it saw in 2023, but Jump and Holman aren’t to blame. Jay Johnson landed both in the portal and both additions proved to be key to LSU finding its way back to the NCAA Tournament.

Holman’s 127 strikeouts ranked second in the SEC and his 2.75 ERA sat third. Jump wasn’t far behind with 101 strikeouts and a 3.47 ERA.

Jump emerged as LSU’s ace down the stretch, with Johnson giving him the ball for the opener in the SEC Tournament and the regional. Holman’s year was good enough to earn second team all-conference honors.

Both pitchers will have the attention of MLB organizations in next month’s draft.

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Berzon was a Second Team All-American in 2024 as she helped lead LSU to a super regional appearance.

Her 1.78 ERA and 185 strikeouts were both among the best in the conference. She was first-team All-SEC and made the all-conference tournament team too.

She went 14 innings and threw 208 pitches in LSU’s SEC Tournament win over Alabama. This is someone Beth Torina can turn to against any opponent and expect to get a win.

Bailey and Shank earned Second Team All-American honors after working together for a 14-6 record.

Shank has proven to be one of the best beach volleyball players in the country since emerging as a sophom*ore in 2022, while Bailey is a more recent arrival after transferring from the College of Charleston.

The two helped lead LSU to wins over top 20 squads California, Georgia State, Grand Canyon, Stetson and South Carolina.

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Flau’Jae Johnson had a strong freshman campaign in 2023, but she took it to a new level in 2024. She averaged nearly 15 points a game with a combined 3.1 blocks/steals per night.

The real progress came over the final month. Johnson went from good to one of the SEC’s premier guards. She averaged 20.3 points per game over her final eight contests. She scored at volume with a .629 eFG%.

She was pivotal in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 21 in the round of 32, 24 in the Sweet 16, and 23 in the Elite Eight.

Expect Johnson to be right back on this list next year.

Few accolades mean as much as Hribar’s biggest achievement this year: qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Hribar will represent Croatia after qualifying in April.

Swimming for LSU this year, Hribar was an All-American in the 50-yard freestyle. His 18.81 in the event sits second all-time in the LSU record books.

He made a statement in his first collegiate meet, winning the 5-free in Utah. Hribar finished top 10 in two events at the SEC championships.

Women’s track and field was one of LSU’s strongest sports in 2023-24. Michaela Rose was a key part of that as she continued to be one of the best runners in the country. Rose was given a chance to compete for a spot in the Olympics, coming up just short in last week’s trials.

Rose claimed the SEC title in the 800m, an event where she consistently runs times under two minutes. More times than not, when Rose took to the track, she took home the gold.

This is her second straight year making this list after coming in at No. 15 last year. She is, without question, one of the best athletes on LSU’s campus right now.

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Angel Reese spent the first two years of her career at Maryland. She emerged as one of the best forwards in the country there, but at LSU, her stardom found a new level. Reese led LSU to a national title in 2023 while earning All-American honors. She returned for her senior campaign, and once again, she was among the nation’s best.

Reese led the SEC in total points and rebounds with 614 and 441. She was LSU’s top player on both sides of the floor as the Tigers made another run to the Elite Eight.

Few players in the country were as important to their team as Reese. That was evident in LSU’s Elite Eight loss. When Reese went down with an ankle, the entire picture changed.

Reese was one of the top picks in the WNBA Draft and is off to a strong start in the pros, competing with Caitlin Clark for Rookie of the Year.

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Malik Nabers missed the cut on last year’s list after posting a 1,000-yard season and leading the SEC in catches. Those numbers put Nabers on the radar with many expecting a breakout in 2023.

Nabers did more than just break out. He became the best wide receiver in the country. Nabers led the country with 120.7 yards per game while ranking No. 11 in receptions. He was a big play machine and was first with 34 plays of 20+ yards.

But when earned Nabers the No. 3 ranking this year was the historical significance of his accomplishments. Nabers finished his LSU career as the Tigers’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. Considering the names that have played receiver for LSU, that’s one heck of a record.

Nabers joined the 3,000-yard club, ending his career with 189 catches, 3,003 yards, and 21 touchdowns. The New York Giants selected Nabers with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

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Bryant has a case for the top spot on this list after her 2024. The gymnast was the best in the country and led LSU to its first national title. Plenty of talented gymnasts have walked through LSU’s doors, but Bryant was the first to lead the program to the promised land.

Bryant was the 2024 NCAA All-Around Champion, becoming just the second gymnast in LSU history to accomplish that feat. Bryant was named SEC Gymnast of the year and brought home the 2024 Honda Award, which recognized her as the top athlete in her sport.

Athletes with the amount of accolades Bryant has to her name are rare in any sport. Bryant emerged as one of the nation’s top gymnasts as a true freshman in 2021, but 2024 was a new level of dominance. Event to event, week to week, it didn’t matter. Bryant was the best in the country from start to finish and capped it with the highest honor of all — a national championship.

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It’s hard to go with anyone other than the man who won the Heisman trophy at the top spot. Quarterback is among the toughest jobs in sports and Daniels was the best at it in 2023.

LSU asked a lot of its star quarterback. A lackluster defense forced LSU to play shootouts week after week. The pressure was on LSU to score every time it took the field and more times than not, Daniels answered the call. With Daniels leading the way, LSU led the country in points per game and yards per play.

Daniels’ 11.7 yards per attempt was an entire yard better than second-place Jason Bean. With 36 passes for 30+ yards and 20 runs for 20+ yards, he created explosive plays at a level rarely seen before.

The numbers don’t do it justice. Daniels was a cheat code last fall. Even when the play broke down, he was a threat to rip off a 20-yard gain. The chemistry with his top receivers, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr, was obvious as the three connected on deep ball after deep ball.

Daniels went on to be the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft and is one of the best players in LSU football’s history.