One big takeaway from the 2022 college football season was that coach Brian Kelly has no issue playing true freshmen. Several members of the Tigers’ class of 2022 earned big-time roles, with several starting for the team by season’s end. Now, heading into 2023, On3 thinks highly of LSU football freshmen Zalance Heard and Ka’Morreun Pimpton, including them on their “2023 Freshman All-American” team.
Does offensive tackle Zalance Heard earn a starting spot by season’s end?
LSU football returns plenty of experience to their offensive line in 2023. Furthermore, they bring back two freshman All-Americans from last season with offensive tackles Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr.
With that being said, Zalance Heard is really good at football.
According to 247 Sports, Heard was the No. 16 player in the country and the No. 3 offensive tackle. Ultimately, the Monroe, LA, native elected to stay close to home and is heading into his freshman season at LSU.
If On3 is correct and Zalance Heard makes the field early and impresses in his freshman season, it likely won’t be at either tackle position. The sophomore tandem of Campbell and Jones Jr will hold on to those slots until they move on to the NFL.
Still, Heard has the kind of talent and size that you almost need to get on the field as soon as possible. If he cracks the starting lineup, it will either be at guard or tackle. This should be a position battle to watch well into the season. Here is what On3’s Charles Power had to say regarding the offensive lineman’s spot on their list:
“He’s one of the most physically gifted offensive lineman in the 2023 cycle. A guy who is still relatively new to the position, but took to it really quickly. Was a five star for On3. … I think his performance has continued to really validate our belief in his ability. … While I think Heard is still kind of working in and getting his feet wet, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get on the field as a freshman, and potentially push for a starting role at right tackle.”
Tight end Ka’Morreun Pimpton is a matchup nightmare
As opposed to Zalance Heard’s path to playing time, Ka’Morreun Pimpton could easily find the field very early on. Heading into last season, the tight end position was about as thin as it gets.
Luckily for the Tigers, now sophomore Mason Taylor turned into a bit of a hidden gem, shining all season long. This season, that could be Pimpton, a former four-star recruit out of Fort Worth, TX.
While Pimpton has plenty of work to do regarding blocking, he’s the kind of pass-catcher you can’t keep off the field.
The Texas product was listed as the No. 110 player in the country and the No. 6 tight end in the class of 2023.
If the 6-foot-6, 220-pound freshman turns out to be as good as advertised, he could be a deadly weapon for the LSU football offense. Here’s what Charles Power had to say regarding the former four-star:
“… He is making a highlight catch seemingly every day in camp. I think his ability as a mis-match, and particularly as a red-zone target, is substantial. I think he provides just a huge jump-ball threat for LSU. … I think we’ll see Pimpton make an impact as a receiver, which we’ll place a pretty high value on when assembling these teams. I would not be surprised to see him come down with, at the minimum, a handful of touchdowns, if not more than that.”
Several LSU football freshmen could find early playing time in 2023
While offensive tackle Zalance Heard and tight end Ka’Morreun Pimpton were the two Tiger freshmen to earn recognition from the major recruiting site, they aren’t the only freshmen with the potential to get early playing time.
LSU football had a scrimmage for its team on Saturday, and one name that kept popping up was freshman running back Kaleb Jackson. He recorded multiple big-play touchdowns and inserted his name into an incredibly deep running back room.
Aside from Jackson, some other names that have been popping up throughout fall camp are defensive end Da’Shawn Womack, cornerback Javien Toviano, wide receiver Jalen Brown, linebacker Whit Weeks, tight end Mac Markway and cornerback Ashton Stamps, among many others.
Expect several more true freshmen to make an early impact for the Tigers in 2023. Coach Brian Kelly has no problem getting his young players experience, which ultimately could help him and LSU football as a whole well into the future.
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