In the NIL era, Brian Kelly is presenting an unconventional idea of how LSU will put together its football squad. Though the third-year coach of the Tigers acknowledged that NIL “is a part of this,” he said to WAFB that “we’re not in the market for buying players.”

“Unfortunately, right now, that’s what some guys are looking for,” Kelly stated to WAFB. “They want to be bought.”

Instead, Kelly clarified, the Tigers are offering prospective additions something more than simply cash as they look to build on back-to-back 10-win seasons as they approach the 12-team College Football Playoff era.

“If you like all the things that we do here in developing our players, bringing you into a championship program, playing in front of the best fan base in America, playing for championships, and having an opportunity for NIL, you should be a Tiger,” Kelly stated. “But if you just want to get paid, this is not the place for you.”

Following a spring transfer window in which the Tigers were unable to acquire the possible high-impact additions they were hoping to bring via the portal to strengthen their defensive front, Kelly made remarks about LSU’s approach to roster development. Last week, CBS Sports graded LSU’s haul with a C+ in a transfer class article.

LSU was vying for two of the hottest commodities in the transfer portal—Demonic Williams and Simeon Barrow—because defensive tackles were in high demand. Barrow is going to Miami, and Williams has committed to transferring to Oklahoma.

“I think I made it clear in a number of the press conferences that I had that we were in the market for recruiting in the transfer portal looking for defensive linemen,” Kelly stated to WAFB. “It hasn’t fared very well, quite frankly, because we’re selling something a little bit differently.”

Understanding what Brian Kelly said

Following a fruitful 12-year tenure, Kelly, 62, announced to the Associated Press that he was leaving Notre Dame to accept the position at LSU because “I want to be in an environment where I have the resources to win a national championship.”

It begs the issue of whether the Tigers, who have struggled defensively under Kelly, will make a run for the national championship if LSU is unable to generate the NIL resources Kelly needs to draw elite gateway talent.

But given the relative lack of talent available during the spring portal window, it’s possible that Kelly was reluctant to overpay for transfers and cause a stir in the locker room because LSU has a history of producing talent culled from the high school ranks, even during the portal era.

“I think what Kelly is really saying in those remarks is that NIL can be one of many factors that makes LSU an appealing place to play but it won’t be the most important one,” Glen West of Geaux247 said. “LSU would be more than happy to play in the NIL. Just take a look at the beginnings of the 2025 high school recruiting class. LSU’s class is ranked in the top three by most recruiting services, and several five-star prospects have already committed to the Tigers. Other elite athletes at their particular positions are also showing genuine interest in joining the team. Kelly hopes to expand this program through high school, and both the existing roster and the freshman class reflect the NIL opportunities.”

While acknowledging Kelly’s remark that the Tigers weren’t interested in engaging in costly bidding wars for spring transfers, West said LSU was aggressive in its pursuit of the aforementioned Williams and Barrow and “put together strong pitches.”

According to 247Sports Team Rankings, LSU’s incoming class of 2024 high school recruits is ranked No. 7 nationwide.However, its transfer haul is a dismal 42nd, with glaringly little star power. Nonetheless, the Tigers’ three top-10 classes thus far and the impressive start to their 2025 class, which already has 12 commitments, show that they are still very much dedicated to a heavy-hitting high school recruiting campaign.

“We will develop you, we will get you ready for the next step, as we did with Jayden Daniels, as we did with Malik Nabers, and as we did with Brian Thomas,” Kelly stated.”This year, three of the defensive lineman we developed were drafted. We’ll repeat that. However, you’re looking in the wrong location if your only goal is to get compensated.”