Brian Kelly and Co. welcome their transfer quarterback to campus, officially moved in over the weekend.

Brian Kelly and the LSU football staff have dominated the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason with the program holding the No. 1 class in America.

It’s been an “all-in” approach for the Tigers’ staff and higher-ups heading into the offseason after wrapping up 2024 with a 9-5 record.

It began with Kelly offering up $1 million of his own money followed by an anonymous donor putting up $1 million to match.

From there, the wheels began turning in the NIL space and it’s given the Tigers a chance to be competitive from a roster reconstruction perspective.

“It has put us in a position where we can be aggressive on anybody that comes into the portal. And that simply wasn’t the case before,” Kelly said of the new NIL approach in December. “I’m not saying this particular match did that, but I think it really sent a message to everybody that this is where we are today. And if we want to be where we all want to be in terms of putting our roster together, we all have to step up. It started with me, and I think our fanbase responded equally.”

There were concerns in multiple spots on the current LSU roster. From the lack of depth in the cornerback room to a go-to wide receiver, it was clear holes needed to be filled.

Kelly and Co. filled those holes and then some during the month of December after reeling in double-digit commitments.

But in the “and then some” category came Mississippi State true freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren.

It’s clear LSU has its quarterback for the 2025 season with veteran Garrett Nussmeier returning to Baton Rouge, but there will be a new signal-caller joining him in the room.

Van Buren, who earned starting duties for the Bulldogs as a true freshman in 2024, elected to enter the portal and take his talents to Baton Rouge. It became a massive development with LSU winning out for one of the top quarterbacks available.

He joins Nussmeier and freshman Colin Hurley in the quarterback room.

LSU saw both Rickie Collins and AJ Swann depart the program this offseason. Collins landed at Syracuse while Swann took his talents to Appalachian State.

Now, it’s a quarterback room of Nussmeier, Hurley and Van Buren heading into spring.

The addition of the SEC starter sent shockwaves across the recruiting scene with LSU proving they’ve arrived as both a destination for premier quarterbacks along with showcasing their advancements in the NIL space.

In 10 appearances as a true freshman in 2024, Van Buren completed 140-of-256 passes for 1,886 yards and 11 touchdowns. He added another five rushing TDs for the Bulldogs.

He was named SEC Freshman of the Week against Georgia when he completed 20-of-37 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns.

The Georgia contest began a three-game stretch for Van Buren where he threw for eight touchdowns. He followed the Georgia game with 242 passing yards and three touchdowns against Texas A&M and then threw for a career-best 309 yards and two scores against Arkansas.

He closed his rookie season at Mississippi State with 280 passing yards and two TDs (1 rushing, 1 passing) against Ole Miss.

Van Buren was a four-star recruit from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, choosing Mississippi State over Oregon. He helped St. Frances Academy to back-to-back national Top 10 finishes in 2021 and 2022.

Now, the young signal-caller has officially arrived in Baton Rouge, enrolled in classes and is with the program ahead of the spring semester.

It’s a tremendous get for the LSU program with Nussmeier to have a surefire backup in 2025. Van Buren has the SEC experience and dynamic playstyle that can benefit the Tigers both now and for the long haul.

He joins an impressive Transfer Portal Class that currently sits at No. 1 in both the ESPN and 247Sports rankings.

Who have the Tigers gained commitments from?

The Additions on Offense (8):
– TE Bauer Sharp: Oklahoma
– WR Barion Brown: Kentucky
– QB Michael Van Buren: Mississippi State
– WR Destyn Hill: Florida State
– WR Nic Anderson: Oklahoma
– OL Braelin Moore: Virginia Tech
– OL Josh Thompson: Northwestern
– TE Donovan Green: Texas A&M

The Additions on Defense (6):
– CB Ja’Keem Jackson: Florida
– EDGE Jimari Butler: Nebraska
– EDGE Jack Pyburn: Florida
– CB Mansoor Delane: Virginia Tech
– DL Sydir Mitchell: Texas
– EDGE Patrick Payton: Florida State

The Special Teams Additions (1):
Punter Grant Chadwick: Middle Tennessee