Veteran LSU football defenders impressed early on by transfer defensive back

LSU football placed a significant emphasis on the college football transfer portal this year. In total, coach Brian Kelly took 14 transfer players, and there are plenty of questions on whether it will ultimately pan out for the team. However, early on, things are looking good for the Tigers. One transfer addition that stands out is cornerback Duce Chestnut, who is already impressing some of the team’s most seasoned veterans.

Cornerback transfer Duce Chestnut found plenty of success in his time at Syracuse

Last week, I did a piece on three main transfer portal additions who I thought could make an immediate impact for LSU football. When thinking about my list, the first name that popped up was former Syracuse transfer Duce Chestnut.

Chestnut found immediate success with the Orange despite his lower ranking coming out of college. According to 247 Sports, he was listed as a three-star and the No. 44 cornerback in the country.

However, that didn’t stop him from leaving his mark on the field almost instantly. In his first two collegiate seasons, the former three-star cornerback recorded 83 tackles, nine passes deflected and four interceptions.

Notably, one of his four career interceptions came against Florida State in 2021. This should be excellent news for fans of LSU football, as the Tigers are set to face off against the Seminoles in week one of college football.

Darian “Duce” Chestnut read Jordan Travis and FSU like a children’s picture book on this diving interception.#CUSEvsFSU #ACCFootball #SCTop10pic.twitter.com/tbH8LT73q5

— From the Stands Sports (@FromTheStandsUS) October 2, 2021

Now, Chestnut has made his way to Baton Rouge. While he dealt with a lingering injury from last season early in the offseason, he appears healthy and ready to go for this season.

Chestnut’s ability to read an offense is impressing early on

One of the biggest question marks when introducing a slew of transfers into a roster is how they’ll fit in with the rest of the group. For Duce Chestnut, early signs show that he’s having no issues so far.

Yesterday, veteran LSU football linebacker Greg Penn III spoke with the media. When asked how Chestnut is fitting in and getting accustomed to things, it was immediately apparent that he’s already one of the guys.

“Yeah, Duce (Chestnut) is definitely talkative, always talking. He’s a veteran guy; he’s played a lot of football, seen a lot of routes. I think he sees things before they happen really well,” said junior linebacker Greg Penn III. “Great guy, great teammate. I mean, he’s a great guy to jump routes and things like that. He gets picks, and he’s had a couple picks this fall camp, which is really good. That’s a big thing we’ve been trying to do, is create turnovers and get off the field on third down, so he’s a guy that can help us with that.”

Last year, despite the Tigers’ overall success on the field, turnovers weren’t exactly what they were known for. They forced 20 total, including just nine interceptions, which tied for 79th in the college football FBS.

ONE-HANDED INTERCEPTION IN THE END ZONE

WHAT A PLAY FOR @LSUfootball pic.twitter.com/FJDDeVeTj2

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 22, 2022

If Duce Chestnut can use his ability to jump passes and anticipate plays before they happen, it wouldn’t surprise to see this number increase dramatically.

“I think he just has a knack for it. I think he’s seen a lot of football and things like that,” Penn III continued, “So, hopefully, we can get a couple of them this year, pick sixes.”

The former three-star cornerback recruit has already become a leader for the Tigers

Linebacker Greg Penn III isn’t the only veteran LSU football defender taking note of Duce Chestnut early on, though. One of his fellow defensive backs, safety Sage Ryan, has been impressed with his leadership abilities so far.

“Duce (Chestnut), you know, he’s a leader in the secondary, a leader that we need for that brotherhood,” began redshirt sophomore safety Sage Ryan. “He’s a great player, as you can see; he broke up, he had five PBU’s in one day. So that’s crazy. Yeah, he’s a tremendous player, ball skills off the chart, and he’s gonna be that guy.”

Despite being a part of the LSU football program for a short time, Chestnut has made his presence felt and his voice heard. Finding a leadership position in this short period of time is impressive, and speaks volumes to Chestnut’s work ethic.

Chestnut is living out a lifelong goal by playing for LSU in 2023

Ultimately, Duce Chestnut is already looking like an elite pickup for coach Brian Kelly and LSU football. Still, he was being approached by some of the best programs in college football. So, why LSU?

“I mean, LSU is ‘DBU.’ Everybody knows that; any school that says they’re ‘DBU’ just is trying to be a part of the conversation,” Chestnut said with a smile. “LSU has always been ‘DBU.’ I kinda watched guys like Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu growing up, so LSU has been my dream school since a child. Everybody knows I wanted to go to LSU coming out of high school; obviously, things didn’t go that way, but God plans and was able to get me here, and I’m just grateful for it.”

No matter the reason, this looks like a fantastic opportunity for all parties involved. If Duce Chestnut can live up to his early expectations, there’s no doubt LSU football fans will be thrilled to know that the future of “DBU” is in excellent hands.

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