Sophomore DB Saivion Smith Transferring

Attrition is to be expected during a head coaching change, and it hit LSU Wednesday night with the news that sophomore defensive back Saivion Smith would be transferring:

Smith was a composite four-star recruit and one of the crown jewels of the 2016 recruiting class. He enrolled in the spring out of the IMG Academy, and contributed mostly on special teams as a true freshman.

There were some discipline issues and missed games as a result, but Smith did seemed poised for a larger role in 2017. Although Kevin Toliver and Xavier Lewis did jump him on the depth chart this spring at cornerback and nickel, Smith seemed to have the talent to catch on somewhere as a sub DB.

Toliver and Donte Jackson will both be draft eligible after this season, so this does create something of a hole for younger players. And potential playing time for Corey Raymond to pitch on the recruiting trail.