The LSU Tigers welcomed in 50 new faces to the program during the spring, with a mix of incoming freshmen and transfer portal additions, rounding out the roster ahead of a critical 2026 season for the school.

In year one with Lane Kiffin at the helm, finding the right mix of returning talent and new blood will be the difference-maker in a successful or struggling year ahead. After the latest TRO court ruling, however, Jack Pyburn, a defensive edge for the program, has an option to return to the program.

While there is nothing set in stone yet, the option is on the table, so what would his return do to the projected depth chart ahead of week one?

How Plyburn Changes the Tigers Outlook

Plyburn was part of a group of multiple players who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, hoping to find a way back into college football after having thought they had already played their last season. His situation is already slightly odd, even more so after he recorded a sack last weekend in a preseason game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Nonetheless, there is still a pathway for him to return to the Tigers if he chooses to. The reunion could be welcomed to after proving himself as a dominant edge rusher, finishing with 52 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks during the 2025 season. Including his three seasons prior to last year with the Florida Gators, he totaled 132 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks.

For the Tigers, the edge position is perhaps one of the strongest on the new-look defense ahead of the 2026 season. They feature multiple high-ceiling players, including Ole Miss transfer Princewill Umanmielen and Tennessee transfer Jordan Ross.

That list also doesn't include Lamar Brown, one of the most eye-popping players from spring and fall camp, nor does it include other impact players such as Dylan Carpenter and transfer Jayden Brown. For Plyburn, it's a crowded room that he could perhaps re-enter, with players who have paid their dues this offseason.

However, adding him to the rotation and playing him alongside Brown, behind Umanmielen and Ross, could give the Tigers the best edge rotation in the country, and with a strong secondary behind them, they could become a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Nothing is set in stone for his return, as it likely depends on his stint in the NFL, but should he return to Baton Rouge, one of the strengths of the defense could get even better.

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