Three LSU WRs Ranked In ESPN's Top 100 Transfer Portal Players List

Three new LSU wide receivers were named to ESPN's "Ranking the best players in the college football transfer portal."

Jayce Brown, a transfer from Kansas State, came in at No. 70. Former Ole Miss wideout Winston Watkins landed at No. 78, and Eugene Wilson from Florida was ranked No. 82.

Here's what ESPN had to say about all three:

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70. Jayce Brown, WR
Transferring from: Kansas State
Transferring to: LSU
Years remaining: 1
HT: 6-0 | WT: 179 | Class: Junior

Background: Brown was an explosive playmaker for K-State in his three seasons in Manhattan with 79 career catches for 1,972 yards and 14 total touchdowns. He's a big-play threat whose 21 catches of 30-plus yards lead all Big 12 receivers since 2023. Brown had a career-high 160 receiving yards against rival Kansas this year, one of five games in which he went over 100 total yards, but had his junior season cut short by a left arm injury in November.

Scout's take: Brown averaged 17.1 yards per catch and 11.5 yards per carry in his three seasons at Kansas State. He's a crisp route runner who gets out of his breaks well and gets defensive backs to bite on double moves. He shakes press corners with his release, and he tracks the deep ball well. He's quick and he gets north-south after the catch. He's at his best working out of the slot but he can line up outside, and he's competitive in 50-50 situations even though he's on the leaner side. -- Muench

What he brings to LSU: The Tigers need to completely reload at wide receiver entering Year 1 under Kiffin with a lot of talent moving on and have picked up nine transfer wideouts out of the portal. This is a good opportunity for Brown to take the next step in his development with a big season in the SEC, but he'll have to earn every target he gets in this talented receiver room.


78. Winston Watkins, WR
Transferring from: Ole Miss
Transferring to: LSU
Years remaining: 3
HT: 5-11 | WT: 185 | Class: Freshman

Background: Watkins, a four-star recruit out of Florida, came in and made a big impression in a talented Ole Miss receiver room during his true freshman season. The newcomer turned 38 targets into 26 catches for 373 yards and one score, highlighted by a 111-yard performance on the road to help beat Oklahoma.

Scout's take: Watkins certainly flashed as a true freshman and outperformed his ranking out of high school. He plays bigger than measurables suggest and is very twitchy and explosive. For a freshman, he was a savvy route runner working the underneath middle of the field. Great spatial awareness for a young receiver vs. zone coverage and not afraid to take a hit. He's a sudden and crisp route runner who's difficult to mirror at the top of his stem. Quicker than fast after the catch but elusive enough to earn quality YAC. Watkins has soft hands and really good body control while adjusting to the deep ball. He thrived in an open spread scheme. -- Muench

What he brings to LSU: Watkins joined Umanmielen, LB TJ Dottery and OL Devin Harper in making the move from Oxford to Baton Rouge with Kiffin. He'll be a featured piece of this Leavitt-led passing attack that has rolled in a ton of new help at wideout.


82. Eugene Wilson III, WR
Transferring from: Florida
Transferring to: LSU
Years remaining: 2
HT: 5-10 | WT: 194 | Class: Redshirt sophomore

Background: Wilson enjoyed a breakout true freshman season with the Gators, earning Freshman All-America honors in 2023 after catching 61 passes for 538 yards and a team-high six touchdowns. Injuries have limited his production over the past two years, with Wilson playing just 12 games and producing 505 receiving yards since 2024.

Scout's take: Wilson shows great playmaking flashes, but consistency has been his issue. When healthy, he's a jet from the slot position who'll move around the offense and create mismatches with his quickness. He excels on reverses and quick dump offs with great foot speed and sudden acceleration to exploit underneath defenders. He's difficult to mirror out of breaks and with his double moves. He does a good job working the middle of the field. Snatches it quickly outside his frame and transitions upfield for good YAC. He's slippery to wrap up, but durability is still a concern. He's quicker than fast and more productive underneath than vertically. -- Muench

What he brings to LSU: Wilson is working his way back from ankle surgery in November. If he can put those frustrating setbacks behind him and get back on track, he'll be fun to watch in a Charlie Weis Jr. offense with no shortage of offensive weapons.

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