Players from Louisiana with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 64% of roster spots in 2016 and 35% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 74 of 115 roster spots were filled by Louisiana players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 38 of 108 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 1 to 42.
The median hometown distance moved from 84 mi in 2016 to 365 mi on the 2026 roster. The reliable geography record begins in 1981. Among players with a known home state, 75% were from Louisiana, compared with 38% on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 58.6% | 44.0% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 2.3% | 16.4% |
The 2026 roster
- 450 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 102 located players.
- 38.0%In-state38.0% of players with a known home state are from Louisiana.
- 28.4%Backyard28.4% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 38.9%Previously rostered elsewhere38.9% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where LSU ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do LSU's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 108 | 38.0% | 38.9% | 365 mi |
| 2025 | 112 | 49.5% | 21.4% | 209 mi |
| 2024 | 110 | 54.5% | 19.1% | 164 mi |
| 2023 | 117 | 48.7% | 23.1% | 257 mi |
| 2022 | 114 | 51.8% | 15.8% | 224 mi |
| 2021 | 109 | 46.8% | 2.8% | 210 mi |
| 2020 | 114 | 48.2% | 0.9% | 209 mi |
| 2019 | 117 | 55.6% | 4.3% | 169 mi |
| 2018 | 111 | 52.7% | 4.5% | 205 mi |
| 2017 | 125 | 60.0% | 1.6% | 139 mi |
| 2016 | 115 | 64.3% | 0.9% | 84 mi |
| 2015 | 127 | 60.6% | 0.8% | 105 mi |
| 2014 | 124 | 58.1% | 0.0% | 124 mi |
| 2013 | 122 | 62.3% | 0.8% | 122 mi |
| 2012 | 122 | 68.0% | 0.0% | 78 mi |
| 2011 | 122 | 64.8% | 0.0% | 131 mi |
| 2010 | 123 | 56.9% | 0.0% | 156 mi |
| 2009 | 129 | 59.7% | 0.0% | 147 mi |
| 2008‡ | 27 | 50.0% | 0.0% | — |
| 2007‡ | 32 | 58.3% | 0.0% | — |
| 2006‡ | 32 | 57.1% | 0.0% | — |
| 2005‡ | 29 | — | 0.0% | — |
| 2004‡ | 32 | — | 0.0% | — |
| 2003archive | 125 | 67.7% | 6.4% proxy | 87 mi |
| 2002archive | 128 | 74.8% | 6.3% proxy | 79 mi |
| 2001archive | 146 | 74.0% | 6.2% proxy | 79 mi |
| 2000archive | 125 | 76.0% | 3.2% proxy | 79 mi |
| 1999archive | 105 | 77.1% | 4.8% proxy | 79 mi |
| 1998archive | 112 | 76.8% | 6.3% proxy | 79 mi |
| 1997archive | 121 | 73.3% | 9.1% proxy | 79 mi |
| 1996archive | 107 | 76.4% | 9.3% proxy | 79 mi |
| 1995archive | 108 | 72.9% | 7.4% proxy | 79 mi |
| 1994archive | 110 | 72.5% | 1.8% proxy | 85 mi |
| 1993archive | 117 | 67.8% | 1.7% proxy | 96 mi |
| 1992archive | 119 | 61.5% | 1.7% proxy | 131 mi |
| 1991archive | 132 | 70.2% | 2.3% proxy | 84 mi |
| 1990archive | 102 | 57.4% | 2.9% proxy | 135 mi |
| 1989archive | 112 | 59.5% | 5.4% proxy | 155 mi |
| 1988archive | 114 | 57.9% | 6.1% proxy | 145 mi |
| 1987archive | 105 | 64.8% | 4.8% proxy | 83 mi |
| 1986archive | 119 | 66.4% | 2.5% proxy | 79 mi |
| 1985archive | 90 | 66.7% | 2.2% proxy | 80 mi |
| 1984archive | 86 | 75.3% | 0.0% proxy | 80 mi |
| 1983archive | 86 | 74.1% | 1.2% proxy | 81 mi |
| 1982archive | 75 | 78.4% | 1.3% proxy | 79 mi |
| 1981archive | 90 | 75.3% | 2.2% proxy | 84 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
‡ fewer than 70 roster rows or under 75% known home state. Treat with caution.
archive = official athletic-site roster. “Proxy” is the share listing a previous school where that field behaved like a transfer field; it is not the same measure as the share previously rostered elsewhere.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 365 mi