LSU football has several new and exciting names and faces in the program, from the team’s new head coach, Lane Kiffin, to its new quarterback, Sam Leavitt. Kiffin and his staff signed 40 new transfers this offseason, and much of the media hype has centered on them and their potential impact on the team in 2026.
All of this hype has led to some forgetting a few key returning players, however. Arguably the most significant on offense is Trey’Dez Green, the Tigers’ 6-7, 240-pound former basketball player turned tight end. Green emerged as one of the offense’s most important players last season, and that’s expected to continue in 2026. Green was named to On3’s Way-Too-Early 2026 All-America team on Tuesday, setting a high bar for the potential breakout star.
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Chris Low, who published the piece, spoke to the impact he believes LSU’s new offensive staff will have on Green’s role next season:
“Green had to be loving the Lane Kiffin/Charlie Weis Jr. hires, and after catching 11 touchdown passes in his first two seasons at LSU, is sure to see his role expand in 2026,” Low wrote. “The 6-7, 240-pound former basketball player was automatic inside the red zone with his size and athleticism, but he will become a much more integral part of the offense with Weis calling plays and creating mismatches for him.”
And to be clear, automatic might be selling Green’s talent short. In a season when the Tigers’ offense lacked any easy buttons, throwing one up to 14 became LSU’s most efficient red-zone play.
Among Power Four tight ends, only Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq — a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft — had more touchdowns than Green this season. According to PFF, Green hauled in the second-most contested catches among Power Four tight ends this season, with 12.
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And Green isn’t just a big body, either. He can be a weapon with the ball in his hands, with the speed to pick up massive chunks on underneath routes, and the play strength to run through tackles when needed. He averaged 6.1 yards after the catch in 2025, which ranked well above average at the position.
It’s somewhat surprising that Green was the only LSU player Low named to his first team, given the talent brought in this offseason, but it’s certainly well-deserved.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football star named early All-American by top CFB writer