By the time Tamarcus Cooley decided to transfer to LSU in mid-January, the former North Carolina State safety knew quite well the Tigers’ portal train was steaming toward something big.

“I was definitely aware” of the other players LSU was pulling in, Cooley said. “I knew for a fact we could build something here. It was a major factor.”

By the time Cooley picked LSU on Jan. 13, the Tigers had already gotten players like Florida edge rusher Jack Pyburn, Virginia Tech center Braelin Moore and cornerback Mansoor Delane, Oklahoma wide receiver Nic Anderson and Kentucky receiver/kick return specialist Barion Brown. All players expected to play significant roles for No. 9-ranked LSU as it begins the season Saturday in a blockbuster opener at No. 4 Clemson (6:30 p.m., ABC).

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