Only one LSU Tigers player has won the Maxwell Award, but two players on the 2024 team have a chance to win the national accolade this college football season.
The Maxwell Award goes to the best all-around college football player in the country every season. Heading into the 2024 season, Maxwell Football's official X account released a preseason watchlist that included a pair of Tigers players.
The day is FINALLY here 🏈
— Maxwell Football (@MaxwellFootball) July 29, 2024
Check out the 2024 #MaxwellFootball Watchlist 👀#MaxwellFootball
🔗: https://t.co/DvapuYnj8m pic.twitter.com/TAklTkqZSD
LSU's two players to make the list are quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and wide receiver Kyren Lacy.
Nussmeier has huge shoes to fill as the quarterback successor to reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. He's seen limited action over three seasons, but produced respectable numbers with over 1,700 passing. yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. As a full-time starter in 2024 with plenty of time to learn Brian Kelly's offense as backup, Nussmeier could take a huge step forward this season.
Don't sleep on Lacy either. Now that Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers are in the NFL, there are plenty of targets up for grabs in LSU's offense. A 6-foot-2, 213-pound receiver, Lacy has already produced some solid production over four years at LSU and Louisiana. He had a career year in 2023, catching 30 passes for 558 yards and seven touchdowns.
Both Nussmeier and Lacy have massive shoes to fill on LSU's offense, replacing multiple first-round picks from the 2024 NFL Draft. The good news is that the passing game should have plenty of time on long-developing routes, with LSU bringing back two top-tier offensive tackles in Emery Jones Jr. and Will Campbell.
LSU is 13th on ESPN's college football power index, but with some strong performances early from Nussmeier and Lacy, they could fly up the rankings.
