With so many young pieces in the Tiger secondary, no one knows exactly what to expect from the group as we look ahead to the 2024 college football season. Even so, they appear to be well aware of the challenge ahead of them and are working hard to make a difference, as the LSU cornerback duo of Ashton Stamps and PJ Woodland most recently shared the honor of “Freak of the Week.”
LSU cornerback duo continue to impress ahead of 2024 fall camp
After a rough showing from the LSU cornerback room in 2023, fans are reasonably concerned about just how much they can improve heading into the new season.
Even so, with returning starters like cornerback Zy Alexander and safety Major Burns, experience shouldn’t be an issue in 2024. Additionally, if spring and summer camps have been any indication thus far, the effort doesn’t appear to be a concern either.
On Friday, talented young cornerbacks Ashton Stamps and PJ Woodland were named this past week’s “Freak of the Week,” sharing the honor as lifting partners.
Stamps had himself a bit of a breakout season in 2023, making his way onto the field earlier than just about anyone anticipated, recording 23 tackles and two pass deflections in 11 game appearances. While the Tiger coaching staff more than likely wasn’t thrilled about needing to throw the true freshman into the mix that early into his career, it at the very least provided some excellent experience to use moving forward.
Interestingly enough, we may see a similar case this coming year with Woodland, a former three-star cornerback in the class of 2024. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound rising freshman first started turning heads during the spring, surging his way all the way to first-team, even putting up competitive reps against star wide receiver Kyren Lacy.
After following similar paths as true freshmen these past two seasons, the pair were selected to be lifting partners, holding each other accountable all offseason, and it already appears to be paying off. As the phrase “iron sharpens iron” goes, while the two are technically competing against each other for reps, they’re also making each other better with each day in the weight room through friendly competition.
As we stand today, there don’t appear to be any guaranteed starters ahead of fall camp as far as the cornerback room goes. The most likely No. 1 option is Zy Alexander, who spent the bulk of last season in that role and is currently working his way towards full participation this summer after recovering from a leg injury in 2023.
Past Alexander; Ashton Stamps, Javien Toviano, JK Johnson, Jyaire Brown and PJ Woodland all figure to compete for some starting snaps this fall into the 2024 season. However, if the young duo of Stamps and Woodland keep doing what they’ve been doing since the start of spring, don’t be surprised to see some distance begin to show between them and the rest of the pack as the offseason continues on.
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